Before anybody asks, no, I am not from Idaho. I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana and currently reside in my beautiful adopted home- the historic California Mission City of San Buenaventura.

Duncan Idaho is a character from the “Dune” book series by the amazing sci-fi writer Frank Herbert. Throughout the books, Duncan Idaho captured my imagination by being repeatedly resurrected(as a “Ghola”- a word apparently derived from the Arabic myth of the ghoul), against his will, over many centuries. Despite the multiple incarnations, he remained loyal to his original lord, Duke Leto Atreides. As a result of my admiration for this character, I adopted the nom de' guerre “Duncan Idaho.” From what I have seen, it's actually a screen name that is in wide use, though not always by me.

On the subject of Dune, has anyone noticed a striking similarity between the Dune story and the WOT? Soon after Operation Iraqi Freedom started, I was watching the nightly news programs. Hearing all the names of the people and places I started to make some connections. Consider these strange intersections of fact and fiction.

Dune takes place in the year 10191. The known universe is ruled by the Padishah Emperor Shaddam (Saddam) IV. Padishah is actually a Persian title roughly meaning “Master” and “King.” and was adopted by several Muslim monarchs. Although when I first read the books in 1990, Islamic supremacy was a distant threat, I was struck by the implication that it was Islam that had dominated the development of the universe. Scattered throughout the books are references to Islamic names and terms

In Dune, there is a substance that is essential for transportation and commerce and that drives the economy of the known universe. It's referred to in the book as “spice” or melange. It is found on only 1 planet in the universe- the desert planet Arrakis.(Iraq?) The inhabitants of Arrakis, known as the Fremen, call it Dune. These desert people have a prophecy that someone will come to their planet and lead the Fremen in a great jihad (That's right- a JIHAD!) When the chosen one arrives, he adopts the name “Muad'Dib”. Muad'Dib is a word derived from the so-called “Mouse Shadow” visible on Arrakis' second moon. He has a legion of personal bodyguards called the Fedaykin. (Recall Saddam Hussein's personal legion of bodyguards called Fedayeen Saddam .) In the climax of the first Dune novel, Mua'Dib leads the Fremen on a Jihad against the forces of the imperial invaders who have historically plundered the planet Dune for the valuable spice melange. The descriptions of the women and children in the aftermath of the battles slitting the throats of the wounded are especially striking in their barbarity and call to mind the cold-blooded acts of some of the present day jihadists.

The really scary thing is- the Fremen prevail and overthrow the prevailing power structure replacing it with a theocracy in which first, Muad'Dib reigns as a super-being autocrat and later his son, Leto II, a god-man, rules the universe. Pretty freaky, huh?

At any rate, I really was impressed by the near-prophetic utterances that reside in the pages of this sci-fi masterpiece. But for those of you inclined to think old Duncan has been hitting the bong a little toooo much... check out Kahlid's excellent thesis at The Baheyeldin Dynasty.

And you thought it was just me.

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“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against spiritual wickedness in high places...”-- St. Paul- Ephesians 6:12

“The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.” --Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826), Notes on the State of Virginia, 1781-82

“Government is a shared myth. When the myth dies, the government dies.” --Leto Atreides II

“We sleep safe in our beds, because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” --George Orwell.

"No free government was ever founded, or ever preserved its liberty, without uniting the characters of the citizen and soldier in those destined for the defense of the state... Such are a well regulated militia, composed of the freeholders, citizens and husbandman, who take up arms to preserve their property, as individuals, and their rights as freemen." -- Richard Henry Lee

“If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face- forever”-- 1984 George Orwell

This is the Reverend Horton Heat Signature Gretsch guitar. (Sighs...) one day!