Are you listening, Saddam?

If you want to know the mood of George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld, just go to San Diego. Yes, that's a long way from Washington. But as I discovered by going there twice last week, San Diego is a perfect barometer for the mood of the President and his Secretary of Defense. That's because of its concentration of military bases. I have to go to San Diego from time to time, and when things get ugly, or are about to, you know it. F-18 fighter-bombers scream overhead at low altitude. The skies go dark under the protective cover of large troop transport helocopters. And at Camp Pendleton to the north, you can see troops running in full battle dress.

You get the idea.

I had to spend a few days in San Diego a year ago. September 2001 was a particularly tense time. The skies above San Diego reflected the mood of the nation, with formations of fighters thundering right over our heads. It made conference calls fun, as you had to take breaks as the jets roared above us on full afterburners. At least you know where your tax dollars are going.

Cut to one year later. The thunder is starting again. Perhaps not with the resonance of a year ago. But still, it's unmistakable. Something may soon happen. Just look up above San Diego.

Are you listening, Saddam?