Meanwhile, in another universe far, far away...

US Vice President Dick ("Trickshot") Cheney gives an interview to somebody called "ABC News" describing the British troop withdrawal from Iraq announced by Prime Minister Tony ("Woof") Blair as "good news and a sign of progress in Iraq."

"Well, I look at it and see it is actually an affirmation that there are parts of Iraq where things are going pretty well," Cheney told ABC News' Jonathan ["Two First Names"] Karl.

"In fact, I talked to a friend just the other day who had driven to Baghdad down to Basra, seven hours, found the situation dramatically improved from a year or so ago, sort of validated the British view they had made progress in southern Iraq and that they can therefore reduce their force levels," Cheney said.

Cheney, although he may recommend driving down from Baghdad to Basra to his friends, was holed up aboard a US aircraft carrier at the time, the road from Baghdad to Basra - or, for that matter, Toledo - being no safe place to make a speech.

Cheney also found time to blame Nancy Pelosi for everything, including anything that still may go wrong anywhere in the galaxy.