A Fibonacci Spiral
A pair of rabbits are put in a field and, if rabbits take a month to become mature and then produce a new pair every month after that, how many pairs will there be in twelve months time?Somewhere around 1200 A.D. an Italian mathematician who went by the pen-name Fibonacci pondered this very problem, a task made a bit easier by his pioneering adoption of the Hindu-Arabic numeric system. The 1,1,2,3,5,8... sequence which resulted is known as the Fibonacci Sequence, and it's connected to both the critical artistic concept of the "golden section" and the "propagating spiral." Hmmm. Breeding like rabbits, Hindi-Arabic enablement, propagating spirals, game theory. These days, the concepts remind us of nukes, not numbers. Fundamentalist regimes in Iran and North Korea are entering the final phases of their race to atomic weapons, while reports surface of Pakistani exchanges with North Korea and now a weapons program in collusion with Saudi Arabia.
The civilizational death-wish of some on the Left has never been on clearer display than in the demented assertions of the "rights" of governments like these to possess nuclear weapons. As if this was a matter of no import, whose awful and predictable consequences could be wished away by delusional legalisms. As if the mere existence of these tyrannies created "rights" we should respect.
Yet the truth stares us in the face, and will not go away: Fibonacci's sequence lives on today in the nightmare form of nuclear proliferation, and all current indications point to the conclusion that nothing of consequence will be done to halt the relentless addition of its sums. Parapundit drives this point home in a series of 2 excellent articles, covering the work of Henry Sokolski of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center on the broken non-proliferation process, and UPI Editor in Chief Arnaud de Borchgrave's report on nuclear agreements between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (see also our Aug. 8, 2002 piece). Not to mention the connections to Iran's nuclear efforts, which are breeding further proliferation as other countries in the region notice that nothing is being done to stop them. Both features are typically thorough, with a lot of additional background and links. Their conclusions are depressing. At best.
Taken in aggregate, these developments constitute the most profound indictment to date of our progress in the War on Terror. The prospect of The Bush Doctrine's (key speech | Winds summary & analysis) utter failure within 5 years of its proclamation raises issues that go far beyond the question of Iraq. They speak to the conduct of the war from its very inception, and deserve serious, knowledgeable scrutiny of the highest order. Since the odds of that coming from the Left range from nil to negative, people on the Center and Right need to step back from the immediate fray and begin thinking about our options and limitations very, very seriously. We won't have many chances to change our course and get this one right. If, indeed, we still retain any chance at all.
UPDATE: Armed Liberal offers some further thoughts in Thresholds.
Certainly we have the chance to do this right. We are, however, avoiding any mention of the Glory of God, and His impact on this whole situation.
The whole of the world Muslim community has access to, and could be encouraged to learn more about, Islamic traditions and prophecies concerning the coming of the Holy One in the Year 1260 AH (1844CE). The western world's refusal to publicly, undeniably introduce this factor to the Muslims (and Christians and others) of the world continues to deprive all humankind of perspective, ration and creativity where it comes to nukes and nations and terrorist groups...
The simple front-channel, AP or CNN or Reuters broadcasting of the connections between Islamic prophecy, Christian prophecy and the Glory of God could catalyze profound changes worldwide, within weeks, leading hundreds of millions of Muslims and similar numbers of Christians, away from ideologies and into informed consultation; away from outdated shibboleths and toward enlightened awareness...
All of which would impact powerfully on the future prosecution of the War on Terror, AND on nuclear proliferation.
But the Christian clergy, despite Jesus' warnings, have chosen to be lukewarm. Shame.
I recently came back to this post and had the opportunity to read Lee Harris' amazing article over at Tech Central Station, titled "Our World-Historical Gamble".
It really opened my eyes, but I can't say that it put me at ease. His premise, and indeed his recommended course of action is so radical, yet it seems so correct, that I worry we are in for one heck of a ride over the next few decades.
My concerns are in two parts:
First, that such an important transformation is being undertaken on our behalf by 'this' administration, who has consistently demonstrated the organizational abilities of a really bad (read clueless and always on probation) fraternity. I mean could they really be attempting to cut the Gordian Knot with the poor planning and miscalculations that are constantly reported?
and Second: have they made the decision to undertake this effort without the consent of the governed, reasoning (probably correctly) that no group of voters on earth, however homogeneous, would ever permit such an undertaking.
I'm not sure of the term for this, but I do have to relate the following phenomena that should be familiar to all of us. When you are in a position of authority, surrounded by people who are counting on you, EVERYTHING CHANGES. Your perspective on things that happen, things that you will have to do, and the intended outcomes look incredibly different from the drivers seat. I can almost hear the Neo-Con advisors explaining this in the oval office...
Dare we even think that all this Post Turtle and Empty Suit talk could just be a smokescreen? There's an awful lot of misdirection and slight of hand in Washington these days, and it may take decades and numerous Freedom of Information Act filings before we have a true picture of what is going on in this White House.
Bottom line, I'd be a lot more comfortable watching this transformation unfold (if indeed that is what is happening) if I saw a some Statesmenship being demonstrated by this administration instead of the steady beat of the political drums which may win them an election, but could lose the war.