Robert Alt is on his way to Iraq. He flies this morning to Amman, Jordan. It will take him almost exactly twenty-four hours to get there. He is well prepared. He has all the technical equipment he needs, and

he has some good contacts and is following a plan. Yet, like all good plans, they will change as soon as his boots hit the ground. Robert is just the man to know what to do when those plans need to be changed. He is smart and resourceful and full of spit and vinegar. And he is a keen observer of human beings and their affairs. And he is a writer. He will write for NLT with regularity, even if he has to do the writing from the back of a camel. (Darn it, we forgot to give him camel-riding lessons!). Look for his insights starting soon after he arrives. Enjoy it, learn from it, and wish him well. Godspeed, Robert.