Here's some stuff found over the past couple days that is fairly interesting, but never got around to posting:

1. "How Reagan Would Handle Islamism" - from the Brussels Journal

"In dealing with Islamism in the present day, we make the very error that Reagan eschewed with the Communists. We proceed from Islamist premises — namely, that Islam is inherently peaceful; that it is inherently sane; that it is inherently just; and that it is a welcome and benign participant in our post-modern public square."

2. "A vote for civil war" - Diana West, The Washington Times

"What would a war policy "about us" look like? First, as a matter of national security, it would call for energy independence. It also would be designed to keep jihad out of the West, and emphatically not to bring democracy to lands of jihad. Such a mission would necessarily engage the military in the Middle East, destroying or neutralizing myriad Islamic threats, from Iran to al Qaeda, from Syria to Hezbollah. Maybe what I envision darkly doesn't sound like the kind of "limited war" the West has exclusively waged for a half century. But it doesn't sound like the kind of "limited war" the West has fought without definable end for half a century, either. And here I'm thinking back to Korea, the very first "limited war" fought to stalemate, not victory, by the last total warrior, Gen. Douglas MacArthur — at least until President Truman fired him for the general's not wanting to fight to stalemate."

3. "A Final Commercial Frontier" - Mark R. Whittington, The Washington Post

"If the Commercial Orbital Transportation Systems program works, NASA will have a low-cost way to service the space station, freeing up money for exploration of the moon and Mars. Companies will get a lot of help developing the space vehicles of the future, which promise to lower the cost and increase the reliability of space travel. The help will consist of not just dollars but also the kind of expertise and access to facilities that only NASA can offer."

Enjoy.

Posted by Ryan S. on Sunday, October 22, 2006 at 1:13 PM | Permalink |