The NIE, a culmination of 16 independent intelligence agencies, cited the invasion of Iraq as a cause of terrorism. Just imagine what would happen if we attacked Iran ...

Of course, that would virtually guarantee $100+ barrels of oil and a tremendous increase in military funding as well as a corresponding rush in national financial bankruptcy (we already achieved social bankruptcy - Frist is simply proof of that).

Posted by: Noah (the other one) at October 3, 2006 07:56 PM

Byron's outrage is right on the money. I'm not totally surprised that Frist wants to forgive the Taliban though. He's always been kind of an uninventive waffle, this just confirms the tendency.

I can't believe he thinks the Karzai government, the Taliban and the warlords of northern Afghanistan will actually sit at the same table. I even doubt that the three groups could agree to partition the country like in Iraq.

Posted by: Robot.Economist at October 3, 2006 02:41 PM

Good Morning Folks,

New U.S. War Plan in Afghanistan: First kick the Taliban's butt, capture Mullah Omar, Taliban Leader... send al Qaeda into caves, celebrate, "We Won the War".

Six months later... Find the enemy, let enemy go...fight the enemy, let enemy get away...capture enemy leader, Mullah Omar, let go...let NATO run the war... give up half of country because our "allies" won't fight...have U.S. Senate Majority, Bill Frist (R Tenn.) go to Afghanistan and declair that we can't win the war there and have to let the Taliban back in to power.

This sounds like catch and release in fishing.

ALLONS,
Byron Skinner

Posted by: Byron Skinner at October 3, 2006 12:29 PM

Depending on what type of nuclear device you are dealing with, there are many ways to dismantle one. Usually the most sophisticated anti-tamper devices are placed on the bomb's timing and control mechanisms, so I recommend getting at the bomb itself.

If you're faced with a gun-type device, simply break or bend the firing tube. If you can put a few hundred feet between you and an implosion device, simply remove, damage or deform some of its explosive lenses. Most implosion devices require a fairly precise spherical implosion wave to achieve critical mass. Messing the lenses may not prevent an explosion, but it will definitely eliminate the chances of a nuclear explosion.

Posted by: Robot.Economist at October 3, 2006 12:05 PM