All posts by Rand Simberg

“There Is No Military Solution Here”

I’m getting very tired of hearing this trite phrase, as though it’s obvious, or indisputable, or useful. Or even true. Of course there is a military solution, or at least, the military is a key component of whatever solution we come up with. There’s certainly no non-military solution to nihilistic madmen bent on murder and mayhem. It’s not policy analysis–it’s simply a mindless mantra.

[Update a few minutes later]

Some letters to Harry Reid, from the people who “don’t have a solution.”

And some thoughts on defeatism from Victor Davis Hanson.

Who Would Give Up First?

Boris Johnson says that it’s time for England to reconquer France (“reconquer”? Is he referring to Waterloo?).

A couple months ago, I’d have thought it a trivial exercise, what with the several reverse speeds on the French tanks and all, but with the wimpy performance by the Royal Navy in the Shatt al Arab and the ensuing response from Whitehall, it’s not clear who would win the rush to surrender.

A Middle Ground?

Eugene Volokh (who I’m given to understand has a pretty tight pattern at the range) asks “why not at least arm the professors who want to be“? The argument is, as usual, comprehensive.

[Update a few minutes later]

Best comment so far: “You really want to arm Ward Churchill?”

[Update at 3:45 PM EDT]

Another amusing comment:

In order to reflect the hierarchy of faculty, there would have to be stratification:

Assistant Professors get muzzle-loaders

Associate Professors get semi-automatics

Full Professors get automatics

Adjuncts get a sharp letter-opener

Chaired Professors are irrelevant, since they never come to campus