FOREIGN FUN

Iraq Parliament Takes Month Off; Plans To Go Fishing In Maine

Despite appeals by America and its allies in Iraq, the Iraqi Parliament adjourned for the month of August, with members expressing their determination to fly to Maine and go fishing.

“We’ve been working hard for the whole year,” a lawmaker said. “Even though we didn’t accomplish anything, we deserve a vacation for showing up. And, if fishing in Maine is good enough for George Bush and Vladimir Putin, it’s good enough for me.”

A reporter asked, “Has George Bush invited you to go fishing with him?”

“Heck, no!" the Parliamentarian replied. "Maybe it’s because there are so many of us. Anyway, I may fish down the beach from his house and see if anything develops.”

“We’re supposed to get two months off,” another member of the Parliament lamented. “We already gave up July. So the least Bush can do is invite us out on the boat. Besides, we don’t have a single issue to vote on, because all of the issues in Iraq get decided behind closed doors, and all the doors have been blown off.”

Prime Minister Nouri al-Miliki stated, “I tried to get the members to forego their vacation. But now that they’re taking it, I plan to head to Maine myself. I could use a month without having to think about issues that, as part of the Shiite majority, I have no real interest in solving. But I can tell you now, I will not go fishing with George Bush, because I am not sure we can agree on which rod I get to use.”

Since the Parliament is not scheduled to reconvene until September 4th, there is skepticism that the September report about progress in Iraq will show the sort of progress that George Bush needs to help shore up Congressional support for the war.

Commenting on the prospect of the Iraq Parliament going fishing in Maine, Bush said, “Look, if I see them on the beach, sure, I’ll invite them onto the boat. I realize, of course, that I can’t fit them all on at once, so I’ll have to make several trips. But I welcome the opportunity. And you can bet, as Captain in Chief, I’ll be fishing for more than striped bass.”

RETURN TO HOME