Bridge (February)

Julius Caesar, when not crossing the Rubicon, was burning bridges behind him. General Montgomery planned a capture of wartime bridges that overreached itself, “a bridge too far” being a favourite expression of Kevin Rudd: “John Howard has gone a bridge too far by not going far enough.” Neither man exactly pontifex maximus. This February, scandals involving a Deputy Prime Minister threaten government stability: “There will be bridges that need to be built between colleagues after this is over and I don’t want to burn them before we start,” one Liberal said, fortunately wearing the garment called the cloak of anonymity.