“To go or not to go is the question. Our man Prime Minister Koizumi, just celebrating his 60th, states that decisions should be ‘based on the situation, whether it is ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’. I, being over 60 myself, am at the same crossroads in a way. The difference is that our friend [Koizumi] will proceed if it is safe and will not if there is danger, whilst I take the opposite position. Koizumi in his wavy lionesque ‘do’, and me bald as an elephant, our thinking as opposite as our hairstyles.” – Hashida Shinsuke (1942-2004), from his diary, Screaming ‘Idiot’ in the Middle of Iraq.