Taliban threat to Pakistan

Telegraph: Reports how the Taliban have moved their influence in to Pakistan outside the badlands of the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Taliban have turned on their former masters in Pakistan, they have become a major threat to the Government of Pakistan, a threat to the Government of Pakistan is a threat to the West. One simple reason, Pakistan is a nuclear power, think of the terrorists get hold of the nuclear arsenal of Pakistan. The Obama Administration would think Iraq was happy hour at the local. The New Obama Administration has to take the War to the terrorists in the badlands of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, they have to be destroyed, or the West will face nuclear blackmail or another 9/11 in nuclear form.

The Cost of Iraq ?

The Times: Reports on the military view of the UK in Iraq, that at the end of the day it achieved its goals, thus our soldiers died for a good cause. I have to admit I agree that our noble soldiers died for a good cause, the problem is that at the end of the end of the day the British thought Basra was another Norther Ireland, thus the same tactics would work, they didn't, the Central Government had to come down and take control, the British had to be pushed back to camp to allow Basra to come under Iraqi Government control, at the end of the day we failed, the troops didn't fail, but the strategy was based on fighting a small scale counter terrorism action when massive troops was the order of the day, next time when we go in we need massive fire power and we have to keep our troops on the ground, or else the USA will think we don't have the backbone for long term engagements. The UK PM Gordon Brown should not try to make this failure up with the sending a surge to Afghanistan, this was also be a massive mistake, Afghanistan should be kept as a low level War, lets not give the terrorists more British Soldiers to kill.

Reagan Top 10 President for Leadership

C- Span: Has a new poll on Presidential Leadership by Historians, Reagan rounds up the top Ten. I would place him higher but at least he makes the top ten, Bill Clinton is does not make the top ten, good. There is hope for Historians.

The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House

One of the best books of the year, The Suspicions of Mr Whicher or The Murder at Road Hill House by Kate Summerscale. This is a true crime story from the 19th Century, the author brings the murder and the artistic, social, economic and political environment to life. The author has produced a thriller that makes you turn the page but also backs it up with excellent footnotes ( this page likes footnotes ). But although the its a puzzle and even after reading the book I cant make my mind up as to who was the real murder or murders, even though someone did confess, there are enough questions to make you think. But at the end the author reminds the reader that there was a murder, a vile murder, but its through the murder that we different aspects of the 19th Century.