Cross-posted to The Conjecturer.
Defense & the War
- Oh hey look, “experts” have found what I’ve been saying ever since Russia started it’s show-patrols around the Arctic in its decrepit old Bear-D strategic bombers like it’s the 1960′s all over again: the Russian military ain’t all that, at least not yet.
- Every time we fail in our information war, we make permanent success in Iraq that much less likely.
- 6.2% of your income is going to fund Iraq and Afghanistan.
- Bonnie Boyd looks at the role of contractors in Afghanistan.
- In 2005, there were 120 veteran suicides per week. How appalling.
Around the World
- Thanks to a bit of a mix-up in regional editors, it took a bit for my last two roundups of Afghanistan to make their way onto Global Voices Online. But, one looking at the politics of jirgas, and another rounding up the initial spread of news over the Baghlan bombing are now up. Considering the latest atrocity, they both might be apropos. Calling the bombers “reavers” and calling for their utter destruction is an understandable reaction. But I not sure it is a constructive one, for that is not how you defeat a violent apocalyptic movement: those predisposed to suicide will not fear a violent end, and you can never kill all of your enemies (unless you adopt the truly horrific methods of Genghis Khan, such as the total destruction of Bagram, or of Khuzestan, or of Samarkand, or of Baghdad, or of… well, you get the point).
- Manan Ahmed has some good thoughts on the protests in Pakistan (see more here). Jeb Koogler notes some (finally) sober coverage of Benazir Bhutto. Besides which, democracy trumps Islamism, every time.
- Petty alarmism over routine business acquisitions is nothing new, but it doesn’t become any less annoying either.
- What’s with all the attacks on South Africa’s nuclear power plants?
Back at Home
- Actually, I think it’s a good thing the ghey ghetto is disappearing. It means gays are more welcome, and less remarkable in the rest of society than ever before. Is it sad the outrageous, flamboyant subculture is fading as well? To an extent, yes, just as it’s sad many American subcultures have faded away as they became irrelevant (like Valley Girls, and New Jersey). But think about what it means in any other context: we no longer have to be afraid of being who we are, in the open, with no reservations or significant stigma. That is truly remarkable, and worth celebrating.
- It would seem opium is not the only addictive luxury good that seems to defy the law of supply and demand. But if corn-based ethanol makes beer more expensive, can energy independence really be worth it?
- Yahoo settles the lawsuits over the two Chinese dissidents it sold out to the Chinese government.
Just had a chance to read this today.
Bad economics. No time to point out all the problems associated with this study, but it suffers from the same issue that the study referenced below does:
People look for what they want to see and stop there.
I don’t think that is what he meant to endorse, but if so, then yeah. Though you can kill a whole lot of them and deprive them of the ability to do it much, and all enemies do not need to be killed, just those who don’t fear death (who are not well known to be persuaded by not dying either.) Killing though is only part of how you destroy such movements. If that is what you mean, I think Aziz would agree. He isn’t exactly that kind of thinker, or if he is now, then this piece would be the starting date, but I don’t think it is.
Hell no!