Bug Zapper
Opinion Journal reports that Taliban forces are attempting to move back into Afghanistan. A force of around 80 has been under attack by US forces with at least 18 reported dead. This illustrates one of the central problems for Taliban and al Queda forces. If they concentrate for an attack they are vulnerable to bombing by American planes. If they attempt to attack in smaller units, they can not achieve meaningful results. In fact one of the surprises of post Taliban Afghanistan is how few successful attacks have been launch. This is especially true considering the criticism that Kabul is the only city under effective control of the new government. While this may be true the war lords in the other cities know that if they permit any Taliban activity in their area it will draw attention from the American who otherwise will leave them alone. If they do mount attacks it will be a gift to the Americans who would otherwise have to go out and search for them. Their attacks will be about as effective as a moth attacking a bug zapper.
North Korea
Having failed to panic the Bush administration into making gifts to him for past bad behavior, Kim Jung Il has threatened to ignore another agreement. This time it is the cease fire agreement that stopped hostilities in the Korean War some 50 years ago. Kim seems to think that more bad behavior will convince the US to give him a treat. He seems very frustrated that it is not working. At some point he will recognize that he is no longer taken seriously, or he will do something really stupid and start a war. In either event his extortion by bad behavior plan no longer works. He probably is not smart enough to recognize it, but if he were not persuing WMD and delivery systems, the US and the rest of the world could care less about his wretched country. It is the pursuit of these weapons that has made him vulnerable at this time. Without them, the rest of the world would probably be content to let him continue abusing his people and brain washing them into believing that he and his country are important. We can expect to see him banging his spoon on his high chair for a little longer before this situation is resolved.
Opinion Journal reports that Taliban forces are attempting to move back into Afghanistan. A force of around 80 has been under attack by US forces with at least 18 reported dead. This illustrates one of the central problems for Taliban and al Queda forces. If they concentrate for an attack they are vulnerable to bombing by American planes. If they attempt to attack in smaller units, they can not achieve meaningful results. In fact one of the surprises of post Taliban Afghanistan is how few successful attacks have been launch. This is especially true considering the criticism that Kabul is the only city under effective control of the new government. While this may be true the war lords in the other cities know that if they permit any Taliban activity in their area it will draw attention from the American who otherwise will leave them alone. If they do mount attacks it will be a gift to the Americans who would otherwise have to go out and search for them. Their attacks will be about as effective as a moth attacking a bug zapper.
North Korea
Having failed to panic the Bush administration into making gifts to him for past bad behavior, Kim Jung Il has threatened to ignore another agreement. This time it is the cease fire agreement that stopped hostilities in the Korean War some 50 years ago. Kim seems to think that more bad behavior will convince the US to give him a treat. He seems very frustrated that it is not working. At some point he will recognize that he is no longer taken seriously, or he will do something really stupid and start a war. In either event his extortion by bad behavior plan no longer works. He probably is not smart enough to recognize it, but if he were not persuing WMD and delivery systems, the US and the rest of the world could care less about his wretched country. It is the pursuit of these weapons that has made him vulnerable at this time. Without them, the rest of the world would probably be content to let him continue abusing his people and brain washing them into believing that he and his country are important. We can expect to see him banging his spoon on his high chair for a little longer before this situation is resolved.
Comments
Post a Comment