Jeremy Clarkson Rules

Afghanistan:

Sources: Obama mulls 4 Afghan options (CNN, AFP) - President Obama's only option should be to do exactly what the generals tell him. He has no experience, at anything, so this nonsensical "mulling" from someone who knows about a fraction of what *I* know about foreign policy is just ridiculous.

Times: US wants more Nato troops for new surge; BBC: Obama in Afghan troop level talks - Send the amount of troops that General McChrystal asks for. Do it. Man up.

BBC: Can Taliban fighters be persuaded to switch sides?

Everything Else:

Father of Kalashnikov celebrates 90th birthday (CNN, Times) - Apparently, Mikhail Kalashnikov still spends most of his days at work, developing new lines of weapons. I have no clue whether those designs actually get produced; and the AK-47, AKM, AK-74, AK-101, AK-103, and AK-107 certainly have bittersweet histories. That having been said, Mikhail Kalashnikov was a total badass in the 1940's, and he's a total badass now.

AP: U.S. Accuses Iran of Sending Weapons to Syria

AP: Israel Shows Documents It Says Link Iran to Arms

CNN: Iran urges Yemen's neighbors to stay out of rebellion

CNN: Jihad and juice inside Libya's terror jail

Guardian: The pornography of grief - and the devalued poignancy of the poppy - It's about British politics, but it's worth reading, because it makes some biting points of British culture that certainly spill over into all areas of Western culture.

Times: Which will come out on top: paper or gold? - An article about the real value of gold, versus the subjective value of paper currency. I'm not a gold standard advocate like the Ron Paul fanatics, but I think that America and other Western countries really need to get a handle on the unlimited printing of cash without any real value to back it up.

Times: Fuel duty could be bad for the planet

Jeremy Clarkson: I've got a solution for the rainforest: napalm the lot, Get me a rope before Mandelson wipes us all out - I'm quickly growing to love Jeremy Clarkson. Both of these editorials are poignant and hilarious. Go. Read. Enjoy.