AN UNUSUAL POSTCARD FROM IRAQ: Glenn asked me to help guest-blog for him while he’s away, but I haven’t really had time. I’m in Northern Iraq on a private sector consulting job and finding time to blog is a bit tough. I did, however, make it up to the mountains during the regional holiday yesterday when every office was closed.

Iraq is big and diverse. Not every place is a hot, dusty plain, and not every place is a war zone. The Kurdistan region is beautiful, prosperous, and — most importantly — safe.