I made a couple of purchase today that might interest you.

First I bought a pack of Iraq's Most Wanted Playing Cards. If this turns out to be legit (I figured it was worth the $12 (including shipping) gamble. I'll let you know what I get.

Next, I bought Fareed Zakaria's new book, The Future of Freedom. This seems like an important work by a rising star in foreign affairs circles. I've been impressed with Zakaria over the last year and a half or so, even if I haven't always agreed with him, and his primary thesis interests me: Democracy isn't the goal, but freedom is. This meshes very well with my own evolving concept of freedom and democracy.

To me, freedom is paramount. For Zakaria, economic freedom is the most important freedom. To me, all freedom begins with the freedom to own your own thoughts, which includes the freedom to express your thoughts as you choose. To me, that naturally leads to the freedom to choose your own government, which is what the Declaration of Independence is all about. Zakaria, I gather, especially when talking about modernizing backward civilizations, is more concerned about economic freedom as the bedrock of all other freedoms. From what I've read about this book, it's more important to Zakaria to have economic freedom than political freedom, or at least to be able to cast a vote for your leaders.

I can't say I totally disagree with that. I mean, in concept, I'm willing to accept the idea that a people can choose to be ruled by a monarch. But I hesitate on this question: What happens when the people tire of monarchy. I mean, if they don't have the ability to overthrow the monarchy, are they really free?

But, of course, I haven't read the book yet, so hopefully I'll understand Zakaria's thinking better after I do.

And don't let it be said, in the phrase of Tony Pierce, that I don't take care of your ass. Here's Zakaria's April 21 Newsweek column, already published on his personal web site. If you want to know his thinking on the future of Iraq — and you should — you should read it.