BayCon 2011

I have been asked to be a program participant, and have accepted. Because Kirsten is no longer a staff member, she's my Guest of Guest this year.

( These are the panels I'm suggesting )

Need to re-do the con bio. 250 words, any suggestions?

Obviously, we won't be staying on site. Money is too tight to justify paying for a room in a hotel that's ten minutes from home.

Liberal pundits are driving me nuts.

It seems to me that they are deliberately not getting the dance we're doing with the Libyan mission. Yes, we want Qadaffi gone. But for Western forces to go in and overthrow him would be a disaster. We are not loved in the region nor are any European nation. French colonialism in North Africa didn't end until the 1960s. They do not want us racing in and toppling a government. But they do need help.

So after being asked for protection for vulnerable civilian populations from Qadaffi's forces (and his open promises of massacres) the UN crafted a very cleverly-worded resolution. It established a no-fly zone and allowed attacks on any Libyan forces which could threaten a civilian population. Which is all of them. And if the RAF and the Armée de l'Air wipe out a Libyan mechanized division, that's one less division for the rebels to face. And if US strikes destroy a command and control bunker as part of the destruction of Lybia's air defense network, and that bunker also was being used to coordinate army movements, oh well. It's just a happy coincidence that the UNSC Resolution is worded in such a way that enforcing it provides massive aid to the rebels seeking to oust Qadaffi.

Here's another way to look at it. Several years ago Kiri and I attended the Callahanicon Annex at the lovely and talented eleri's place. The bulk of the attendees were staying at a hotel several miles away. Among these attendees was arib. Ari is a devout, observant Jew, and the first night of the Annex was Friday. In case you didn't know, there is a huge list of things that he is not allowed to do on the Sabbath. He is also forbidden to ask others to do these things for him. One of these things is drive a car, meaning he also couldn't ask for a ride. He was staying at the hotel. This meant a walk of several miles on dark country roads. But there was a solution. If a car door happened to be open, he could of course sit in the car. And if the car happened to be going to the hotel, so much the better! The letter of the law was followed, and a desired result was achieved.

That's what's happening in Libya. We're not overthrowing Qadaffi, we're protecting civilians from a murderous dictator. It just happens that this protection is going to make life so much easier for the rebels. Just a happy coincidence. So when Qadaffi is lynched, it will be by his own people, and the forces that take Tripoli will be waving the old Libyan monarchist flag. Sort of the way the French paved the way for us scrappy Americans to kick Conrwallis' wig at Yorktown.