IT would appear that someone (no names, but their initials are GWB and TB) horribly misread the situation in Iraq. Being "free" of Saddam Hussein doesn't seem to fill everyone with joy. Hate, yes, if the murderous attacks on British Military Policemen; persistent strikes against American military personnel; oil pipelines blown up and fist-shaking mobs on the telly are any indication.

Winning the peace was always going to be harder than winning the war, but that "minor" problem was shunted sideways by you know whom and their acolytes. I would pull out the Brits and leave the Iraqis to sort out their country, post-Saddam. They won't accept any imposed regime so what are the coalition forces doing still out there? Not a lot, if reports of continued looting, water and electricity shortages are true. All this comes at a time when someone calling himself The Comedy Terrorist gatecrashed the 21st birthday party of our future king, exposing appalling lapses in security at Windsor Castle and proving, yet again, that when it comes to cock-ups, we Brits have no equal.

Aaron Barschak, a persistent wannabe, somehow managed to climb on stage, take a microphone from the birthday boy's hand and even plant a kiss on his cheek. In the resultant furore, newspapers, radio and television news editors almost choked with a mixture of glee and self-righteous indignation. One statement made me convulse with laughter. You, too, no doubt.

It went: "The Metropolitan Police considers such a breach of security to be a serious matter and that lessons have been learned." Well, we've all learned at least one lesson, which is if you want to get close enough to blow up most of the royal family and maybe a hundred or so of the UK's gentry, then dress up in a frock and hat, wear an Osama beard, an outsize wig, and act like an utter prat. You'll even get a helpful "plod" to assist you on your way!

However, the copper whose red face is now being used as an emergency traffic light somewhere in the Home Counties, could be forgiven his indiscretion, given the British reputation for eccentricity and the fact that the Castle and its grounds were packed with similar prats, upper class ones admittedly, dressed in costumes similar to The Comedy Terrorist.

As no-one seemed particularly anxious to go on camera, TV editors had to come up with someone so they wheeled out Michael Fagan who, in July, 1982, not only breached security at Buckingham Palace but actually woke up the Queen to complain about late benefit payments. Absolutely bloody priceless. Not a lot of lessons learned there, then.

Asked for his opinion on the latest lapse, Mr Fagan, a royalist in every fibre of his being, expressed genuine concern. His reflections on his own brush with HRH were edited out. Questioned about her reaction when she awoke to find him perched on the end of her bed, he said: "Well. It could have been worse. It could have been Phil the Greek making an unscheduled and unwanted conjugal visit."

Now there's a line for the comedy terrorist's act when he's not otherwise engaged, gatecrashing an upmarket function.