Stop Getting Mad, America. Get Smart.

Washington Post ^ | December 9, 2007 | Richard L. Armitage and Joseph S. Nye Jr.

[america4vr]

[Clemenza]

When I hear the phrase “soft power” (it was popular when I was in grad school), I reach for my .40.

[rbg81]

Perhaps the “world” should try Russian, Saudi, or Chinese leadership for a while—and let us know how it works out. Who is “the world” anyway? Whoever they are, I think the “world” could use a good ass-whooping (starting with Hugo Chavez).

[rlmorel]

That sounds sensible to me.

These people are going to get us all killed. If they want to cozy up to these people, power to them, just as long as they don’t get my head sawed off when theirs go.

[woofie]

But unless they have weapons of mass destruction, groups such as al-Qaeda pose no existential threat to the United States -- unlike our old foes Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union.

I would bet one attack like 9/11 every year or so would damn near destroy our economy, and just think they did it with box cutters Mr Armitage

[Wiz]

Translation: Forget 9/11 and play Chicken Politics with terrorists.