Monthly Archives: August 2008

The problem is, we really do live in a democracy

Note: This first appeared as an op-ed in the Valley City Times-Record. I saved it here, and took my family to Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse Mountain for the Labor Day Weekend. While I was distracted, John McCain chose Sarah … Continue reading

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Look at the face of evil

The French say, “By the time a man is 30 he has the face he deserves.” If you go here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,412104,00.html You’ll see the face of one Joseph Edward Duncan, at the hearing where he was sentenced to death for … Continue reading

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Poland wants “one British soldier”

Note: This appeared as an op-ed in the Valley City Times-Record Poland and the U.S. just signed a deal to base 10 interceptor missiles in Poland, designed to defend against attacks by medium-range nuclear missiles from “rogue nations,” meaning Iran. … Continue reading

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It’s gotta be tough to be a terrorist these days

I was watching the pre-convention news about the choice of Joe Biden (D-DE) as Obama’s running mate, and indulging myself in the exercise of trying to think like a terrorist. This has got to be a tough time, decision-wise, for … Continue reading

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As below, so above: the Hermetic theory of foreign policy

An idea I’ve wanted to explore for a while now, has to do with the basic premises of how I view relations between nations and how to conduct foreign policy. My basic premise is a version of the principle of … Continue reading

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Our vacation is over, from school – and history

Note: This appeared as an op-ed in the VC Times-Record. “The strong do what they will, and the weak suffer what they must.” Thucydides We were watching the news the other night, when they reported that the Russians appeared to … Continue reading

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Democracy’s soft underbelly, Part 2

OK, so the study shows 40% of the Muslim students surveyed are fairly to very supportive of a world-wide caliphate under Sharia law,and a total of 32% believe in killing in the name of religion to “preserve and protect” or … Continue reading

Posted in Social Science & History, Terrorism | 8 Comments

Democracy’s soft underbelly, Part 1 the case of the UK

If you go here http://www.socialcohesion.co.uk/ you will find a British website for something called “The Centre for Social Cohesion.” It’s got some online articles, but mostly consists of downloadable PDF files for lengthly documents, surveys, etc. It looks like a … Continue reading

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Solzhenitsyn’s American friend

“He is gone, where savage indignation can no longer lacerate his heart. Go traveler. Imitate him if you can. He served liberty.” Epitaph on the tomb of Jonathan Swift Aleksandr Isayevich Solzhenitsyn is gone. He died Sunday at the age … Continue reading

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