What Islamist Terrorist Threat?

Shikha Dalmia argues "Al Qaeda doesn't have what it takes to hurt America"

In her well-reasoned Op-Ed in The Daily, the world's first iPad newspaper, Dalmia asks if the $2 trillion dollar "Global War on Terror" has been a complete waste of treasure?  Have we expended the lives of 5000 American servicemen and women for little or no return?  She wonders aloud whether "post-9/11 security has made America invulnerable" or if "the Islamists never posed that a big threat to begin with?"  These are tough questions.  Shall we ignore them if they have unhappy answers?

Thanks for Bruce Schneier for the link to Dalmia's essay.

On a related note - strange and peripheral as it may be - the US Army ordered its PsyOps team in Afghanistan to apply its propaganda skills to influence to congressional delegations visiting Camp Eggers in Kabul.  That's illegal in case anyone cares...

Who is fighting who?

UPDATED TO ADD: Consider complimenting this quick read with this podcast of an excellent LSE panel titled The Changing Geostrategic Landscape in the Middle East.  We've got some thinking to do.

A Cultural Icon Bites the Dust in East Grand Forks, Minnesota

We note with some wistfulness that Whitey's Restaurant has been shuttered...

The real Whitey's in 1997, shortly after the end of its original run.

Actually, it's the post-flood Whitey's that has been closed.  The original bar and restaurant - "Whitey's Wonderbar" - which had operated since 1930 on the east bank of the Red River was destroyed by the flood in 1997.  That leaves Cabela's as the only reason to ever visit East Grand Forks, Minnesota (trust me on this).

But be of stout heart and good cheer, FxxxxxxG SxxxX fans!  At least the Red Pepper is still in operation.  Mmmn...nothing satisfies like a late night grinder - ham, double meat, double cheese, taco meat, and hot sauce.   Now there's fine dining!

Responding Thoughtfully to the Democratic Aspirations of the People

Bahrain..."Ur Doin' It Wrong!" 

To: His Majesty Sheikh Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa

Re: Responding Thoughtfully to the Democratic Aspirations of the People

Google +Egypt +Mubarak

Do the right thing.

Good luck!  Just do the right thing and you won't need luck.

UPDATED TO ADD: You too, Yemen.  Yo, Gaddafi, the entire world is tired of your BS; give some thought to retirement before it is forced upon you.  Fighter jet airstrikes on protesters?  And you wonder why you have protesters?  Too bad the rumor you'd fled to Venezuela was untrue.

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Force of Bahrain, has found a way to respond to his people that does not involve gunning them down in the streets.  He has withdrawn the military from the streets and called for a national day of mourning.  The son succeeds where the father fails.  May we all have such good fortune in our lives.

Fundamentalism: A Swift Survey

It's a word that gets thrown around a lot, usually without much thought...

This lecture presented by Professor Zvi Ben-Dor Benite from New York University is a thoughtful introduction to the term fundamentalism, a study of its history, an examination of it dependence on the written word, and a thoughtful exegesis on its implications for ancient man and modern society.  Well worth a listen...

Gresham College was founded in 1597 for the express purpose of providing lectures to the public in the City of London.  Four centuries of public service; what a cool idea.  You can subscribe at their website or on iTunes.

What's That On His Facebook?

"I remember some horrible dream about smothering..."

Twice now the oh so helpful folks at Facebook offered to send invitations to persons in my email address book who were already Facebook members but with whom I was not yet befriended.  Twice they ransacked my entire address book and sent invitations to everyone, whether they had a Facebook account or not.  I hate it when that happens, but as they say:

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."

Enough is enough.  Look for me here at the Eclectic Breakfast or at LinkedIn.  If you haven't tried LinkedIn yet you should; it's like Facebook for people with jobs.  If you want to cut back on your Facebook use here's a Nine Step Program.  If you want to delete your Facebook account here are some resources.

My apologies to any of you who received unwelcome solicitations from Facebook because I was so Zucking gullible.