AS George Bush completed his highly dangerous visit to the Middle East, I wondered if he gave any thought to the curse of the 20-year presidency?

President Harrison, elected in 1840, was apparently cursed by an Indian chief with the odd name of Shawnee Prophet, who said every American president elected in a year divisible by 20 (that's ending with a zero) was destined to die in office.

Harrison himself caught pneumonia at his inauguration and died a few weeks later.

Abraham Lincoln, elected 1860 was assassinated, as was James Garfield, elected 1880, and William McKinley, 1900.

William Harding, 1920, died of a stroke three years later, and Franklin Roosevelt, re-elected in 1940, died of cerebral haemorrhage before his term of office was completed.

John F Kennedy - 1960 - was struck down by an assassin's bullet in Dallas in 1963.

However, when Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980, survived an assassination attempt by gunman John Hinkley a year later it was thought the curse had been broken - but I wonder.

President Bush was elected in 2000 and is apparently the most unpopular man of the planet.

Mind how you go, George.

Cynthia Glasby, Southfield Road, Strensall, York.