If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
If this story, and this one are accurate, it would seem to me that Iraq is in a state of war with Syria (and probably other nations, such as Saudi Arabia, as well). After all, they seem to be sending in people to murder Iraqis and attack its government. I’m not sure at this point exactly what they can do about it, but I would think that at the least it would be useful to state the reality, to call them on it. Perhaps in a year or two, after being given sufficient training, the Iraqis themselves will institute a regime change in Damascus. Which raises the interesting issue of whether or not Syria has any of Saddam’s WMD…
[Update at 5 PM EDT]
Along those lines, this looks like good news, if accurate:
American troops backed by helicopters and war planes launched a major offensive against followers of Iraq’s most wanted insurgent, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, in a desert area near the Syrian border, and as many as 100 militants were killed, U.S. officials said Monday.
Taylor Dinerman says that the administration has to start getting serious about space weapons. I agree.
[Update late afternoon]
There are several good critiques of the piece in comments, that I don’t necessarily disagree with. My only point was that I agree with his bottom line.
Lots of good stuff over at Clark Lindsey’s site yesterday, including a tribute to the failed space entrepreneurs of the past that laid so much of the groundwork for today’s burgeoning industry. He also has some parting thoughts on last weekend’s Space Access Conference, with a link-rich summary of many of the talks.
Over at The Space Review, Jeff Foust takes my “hangover” metaphor and runs with it in describing the state of the industry as represented by the conference (first of two parts–presumably the second will be next Monday).
I’m digging a new sprinkler system before the weather here gets too hot to do it. Part of the fun is laying a sixteen-foot tunnel out of one-inch Schedule 40 PVC under the driveway.
[Update at 4 PM EDT]
In response to the question in comments, I use a hydraulic drill. The soil is sandy (this wouldn’t work if it were rocky or clay). Attach a straight nozzle (Home Depot sells them just for this purpose) to one end of a twenty-foot length of PVC, and a hose connector to the other. The jet of water blasts a hole ahead of it to allow it to be pushed underneath the concrete. Unfortunately, the longer the run, the more friction on the sides of the pipe, particularly from the junction that sticks out, and the last few feet require a hammer to get it all the way through. I don’t think I could manage a wider driveway than I have. Once you’re all the way through, cut off the hose connector and nozzle, and hook up the pipe to each end.
Jacques Chirac has managed to stay out of jail for a decade now, by continuing to be President of France for that period. It’s about his only significant accomplishment in the office.
In the early morning the bodies of 14 men were discovered in a shallow mass grave in a rubbish dump in northeastern Baghdad. Some of the victims were blindfolded and appear to have been executed with a shot to the head. Now this news bulletin…