CNN Thumbnail

A Thumbnail Sketch:

CNN has put together a useful thumbnail sketch of the current unrest in the Middle East and North Africa. It's remarkable that there's been this sudden push for democratic reforms across the entire region. If only we had seen this coming and had planned for it...

Well, no matter. The French are on the job, threatening airstrikes in support of the rebels in Libya if Gadhafi uses chemical weapons or attacks civilians. That's a more robust policy than the "no fly zone" that has been suggested -- which, on reflection, is both too weak and too expensive in that it requires you to control all the sky all the time, rather than just taking out Gadhafi's air assets once.

Time was we'd have been a bit embarrassed to have the French out-cowboying us, but in this case it's appropriate.



One of our 2012 requirements should be that 'any Presidential candidate must be a horseman.' Or horsewoman, as the case may be.