Crazy for Star Wars by Robert Wright Poking holes (big enough to require thinking about) in the logic of the need for protection against nuclear attacks from “rogue states.”

“Even

if you examine the unabridged list of rogue states—Iraq,

North Korea, Iran, Lybia, Syria, etc.—you will search in

vain for a national leader who aspires to early death.

Muammar Qaddafi, for example, may seem erratic,

but look what happened when Ronald Reagan gave him

a sanity test. American jets bombed Qaddafi’s house as

punishment for sponsoring terrorism. The question was:

Would Qaddafi a) retaliate, b) not retaliate but maintain a

conspicuous association with terrorism, or c) start

keeping a lower profile? He chose c) and thus passed the

test.” [Slate]