We’ll never know, obviously, but I wonder every time I read stories like this about what the world would look like today if George W. Bush got the “Axis of Evil” right, didn’t invade Iraq, and focused on more pragmatic foreign policy rather than this delusion about establishing a secular democracy in Iraq at the point of a gun while avenging Daddy.

Nuclear proliferation and actual terrorism supporting states like Syria and Afghanistan should’ve been our focus, but instead we have a war that has cost over $500 billion in direct costs.

Wheeee, liberal media…?

This is an interesting theory about the state of American technology and some of the gamesmanship going on behind the scenes… curious if any of it is actually on the money. Not sure how we’ll know, exactly.

Short excerpt:

About six weeks ago, word first surfaced of a set of earlier, unofficial negotiations between Israel and Syria, which had resulted in a draft agreement between the two countries. The agreement provides for an Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights, most of which would then be turned into a park accessible (without visas) to both Syrians and Israelis. (Personally, I think this is a very imaginative solution.) It also provides for demilitarization of the border, Israeli control of water rights from the Sea of Galilee and the upper Jordan, and verification.

Ha’Aretz reports that the U.S. strongly opposed talks between Israel and Syria. It doesn’t make any sense beyond bullheadedness. The comments over at ObWi are also interesting… read them if you’re interested in these things.