Praise indeed

Yet another example of President Lula's apparent lack of political ideology this morning. Another statement on military service and his 'frustration' as a young man that he never got to serve. And he was young when? Oh, that's right, during the 1960s when the military dictatorship was in power and persecuting his colleagues in the trade union movement.

Sometimes I wish he would stop eulogising the army. That's what we've got the right-wingers for. But maybe it's part of this Faustian pact which means he can't upset the balance of the Brazilian body politic.

And meanwhile I still haven't made the trip down to the consulate here in London to exempt myself from service this year...