Chance to Arm Rebels Fading Fast...Hopefully?

Iranian puppet Hezbollah has decided to ensure that legitimate freedom-fighters fighting the Syrian regime are almost certain not to get weapons that could shift the tide decisively in their favor.  With Hezbollah's announced entry into the melee, no Western nation is going to be excited about arms slipping into the wrong hands. This development asks more questions than it answers.


Only time will tell if the U.S. and other coalition countries have learned the lessons of Afghanistan past.  The real question will be whether Israel will voice its discontent in any way other than launching surgical strikes to prevent Syria's arms from reaching Hezbollah.  Who will Israel strike to prevent the west's arms from reaching Hezbollah in Syria?  Even Israel cannot strike just Hezbollah fighters, especially when, in true terrorist form, Hezbollah hides its troops among true freedom-fighters. 

ALS Can't Stop Stephen Hawking, but Palestinians Can

In boycotting one of the premier science events of the year, in one of the most inventive nations in the world, Stephen Hawking shows that there is something that can keep him from contributing.  Even while suffering for years from Lou Gehrig's disease, Stephen Hawking has contributed more to the cosmological literature than any other individual in history, save Albert Einstein.  In refusing to attend a major scientific conference in Israel, Dr. Hawking demonstrates that his grasp of things more worldly is less firm.

Hawking admitted that he decided to skip the conference after conferring with Palestinian colleagues.  Certainly their victory is a major coup.  This brief article discusses both sides' views.

Scientific decisions based on political motivations is part of what makes this country slow to innovate.  Hopefully Hawking's decision will not be repeated by him, or others, in the future.  Hopefully it will not inspire leaders in this country to be even more apt to put politics before progress.