I must apologize for the extended absence but it would appear that February and August are those months which family and other obligations take me from my desk without mercy. My trip to the United States was fantastic as usual except for the bit of news I must bring back to my desk. I must confess that I bring bad tidings to my fellow countrymen regarding our American brethren. It would seem that after a long and glorious brotherhood in blood, we are all alone in our endeavors. I find it totally repulsive that the Americans would choose now to shut the door and toss cold water in our faces. We paid dearly for the Falkland Islands and it is unthinkable that our closest ally would turn their backs on us now. The questions are many but the main one is impossible to ignore; have we not paid dearly enough by your side?