Political Commentary, War Commentary

“Hamas Is Our Role Model”

5 Comments

So says the Muslim Brotherhood.

This isn’t going to end well.

[Update a few minutes later]

Reflections on the wishful thinking about Egypt:

There are wolves all too ready to profit from the gamboling of the sheep. Indeed, they are even quite willing to put on a wool disguise to lull them further into daydreams. The French aristocrat who converted to Catholicism to be king said that Paris was well worth a mass. The Islamists think that Cairo is well worth inviting dumb American journalists to dinner and being hospitable to them.

It’s the same generally with the West, dreaming of a moderate Palestinian state at peace with Israel; of moderate Islamists happily preserving their religion of peace; of Middle Easterners expressing gratitude to those wonderful Westerners who stopped backing dictators and evil Zionists to support instead the masses’ legitimate aspirations; and all the rest of that man-made global balminess.

Try to explain your good intentions to the firing squad. Blindness and wishful thinking are traits one cannot afford in the Middle East because the price for them is going to be very, very high.

The old joke about denial not being a river in Egypt seems particularly apropo here.

Political Commentary, Space

What Are The Chances?

5 Comments

A piece of the Meridian satellite hit a street named after cosmonauts. But this is the troubling part:

The loss of the Meridian satellite caps a disastrous 12 months for Russia that has already seen it lose three navigation satellites, an advanced military satellite, a telecommunications satellite, a probe for Mars as well as the Progress.

“This again shows that the (Russian space) industry is in crisis,” admitted Vladimir Popovkin, the head of the Russian space agency Roscosmos, in comments broadcast on state television. “It is deeply unpleasant.”

Acknowledging that the jobs of the Roscosmos leadership were at risk, he added: “I think it is possible that the organisational conclusions will be quite severe, right up to including myself.”

I don’t think that this is a problem that will be solved by changing out personnel. It’s just rearranging deck chairs.

Media Criticism, Political Commentary, Social Commentary

The Problem With Ron Paul

38 Comments

It’s not racism, or anti-semitism — it’s the foreign policy.

I have to say, though, that while the word “homophobic” is vastly overused (for instance, it is not “homophobic” to oppose gay marriage, at least not intrinsically) the congressman does seem literally homophobic to me, based on this description of his behavior. On the other hand, one can be a homophobe, and still support gay rights.

[Update a few minutes later]

The trouble with Ron Paul’s defense on the newsletters.

Biting Commentary about Infinity…and Beyond!