If you like conspiracy theories, go nuts now: A couple of weeks ago I pointed out the bizarre fact that Texas A&M University is building a campus in Qatar, where the U.S. has recently moved some military operations that used to be based in Saudi Arabia. Now I learn, from this New York Times article, that the president of Texas A&M is ... Robert Gates, former head of the CIA (under Bush the Elder).

I might find this truly ominous if the dominant people in the Bush II administration didn't seem to loathe Bush I. Nevertheless, it does seem worth noting....