Monomania vs Single-minded vs Idee Fix_ated???

Kokedera (Saihoji) Temple in Kyoto, Japan, has a world-famous garden comprised of a "carpet" of 22 species (one source says 120 species) of mosses. This idée fixe, this monomania, this single-mindedness of moss gardening has created a unique 4.5 acre patch of earth. It has become such a popular place to visit that, even though it is open to the public, one must write and coordinate a date for his visit.

Idée fixe, monomania, single-mindedness is not solely the provenance of Japanese Zen gardeners. A certain kind of idée fixe has been in operation here in America the last few years. It seems as though Osama (Usama) Bin Laden appears ever in his Saddam costume.

The 19 names of suspected hijackers released by the FBI don't point to Iraq. They come from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates; however, most of the actual identities and nationalities remain controversial.

"President Bush had wondered immediately after the 9/11 attack whether Saddam Hussein’s regime might have had a hand in it. Iraq had been an enemy of the United States for 11 years, and was the only place in the world where the United States was engaged in ongoing combat operations. As a former pilot, the President was struck by the apparent sophistication of the operation and some of the piloting, especially Hanjour’s high-speed dive into the Pentagon. He told us he recalled Iraqi support for Palestinian suicide terrorists as well. Speculating about other possible states that could be involved, the President told us he also thought about Iran. " [The 9/11 Commission Report: 10.3 “PHASE TWO”AND THE QUESTION OF IRAQ] This "might" became the idée fixe of the so-called "war on terror."

Was Iraq Dubya's idee fixe? Was it rather an Oedipal manifestation of some urge to best H.W. and to complete the job he thought dad had left unfinished? Or was it, again, rather, about the reelction coupled with Cheney's guilt about Halliburton's asbestos settlemnet?

It wasn't about WMD that they tried against al odds to convince us were there. It wasn't because of Saddam's being connected with Osama despite how many times they said otherwise as they finally admitted.

It certainly has cost America a ton of treasure and provided an incredible opportunity for graft and corruption.

But, then again, maybe it was just to steal the Iraqis' oil?

Doc Rock