The Friday Furo Questus

Questus Furore - Iran and the IAEA
Gee, the IAEA really cracked down on Iran this time. They have now given Iran another month to comply, before they will refer the matter to the U.N. Security Council. And then the IAEA might whack them with a rolled-up newspaper.

Good grief. When the program is generally considered to be only months away from a functioning nuclear bomb, the IAEA is proposing the drastic step of... giving them more time.

The problem is, time is not on our side. Israel has repeatedly threatened that if the international community will not stop Iran, it will. Israel has done so in the past.

The consequences of such an effort would be generally bad. The best scenario results in a general war between Iran and Israel, with other players yet unknown jumping in as well. The worst is nuclear retaliation, with Israel wiped from the map and the surviving Islamic world hopping mad.

Something needs to be done, and soon. Faster, please.

Questus Cashus - Spending the Surplus
Go here for Jamo's thoughts on spending Utah's budget surplus, and here for mine.

Moving on...

Recommended Reading
Victor Davis Hanson, "Three Pillars of Wisdom."

Did the New York Times break the law when they broke the NSA story? Some say yes. There is more good stuff over at Commentary magazine.

Stanley Kurtz, "Dissolving Marriage." The changing face of marriage in Canada.

Michael Ledeen, "When People Freely Choose Tyranny."

Jack Dunphy, "Arresting a Crime Wave."

Iain Murray, on proposals to impose travel bans - for the best of reasons, of course...

And this story might be why some people worry about border security.

Jonah Goldberg, "Give It Up, Kanye."

Patrolling the Front
Jamo took a look at the state budget surplus.

e.gage shows us winter in Moscow - Moscow, Idaho, that is.

Ah, the joys of business relationships. Also, an update on Mt. Augustine, erupting in Alaska.

Thought of the Week
A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have.
Gerald R. Ford

Churchill Quote of the Week
A politician needs the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. And to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.
Winston Churchill