I like lists. Lists allow us to make some generalizable statements. Lists allow us to categorize our thoughts.
I spent the last week grading papers, grading exams, grading homework. For me, this effort was typical for the week of Thanksgiving Break here at GCC. Of course, I take off Thanksgiving Day to be with my family and the Saturday afternoon following to watch the Iron Bowl. Between papers and exams I read, I read blogs by other scholars, I read AP stories with headlines that intimate some subject about which I am interested in knowing more, I peruse news services looking for headlines not found in the AP. I read quite a few stories in the last week about credible partners for the U.S. in fighting terrorism, in addressing climate change, etc. I thought then about how to categorize, rank, organize credible partners. For my two cents, what follows are the lists of credible partners in...whatever I title the list.
Partners in Crime:
10. Ivan (my dog deserves to make some list)
9. 5FDP (if you have to ask, you will not understand anyway)
8. the boys (we will always have each other's back)
7. A.M. (never hurts to have a LEO with you if you are being stupid)
6. B.M. (even if you did by a 5.56, at least it is a cool one)
5. E. P. (always have a home-brewer along)
4. B.C. (Take along someone big enough and potentially mean enough)
3. B.B. (yeah, you get to be a partner in crime--probably already were)
2. K.E. (the crowd needs some mellowing)
1. T.D.G. (yeah, you know why you're here on the list)
Ok, really, the lists are supposed to be about real stuff:
Partners in Counter-Terrorism
10. China, PRC (still not convinced they are fighting terrorists versus wanting to kill Uighurs, etc)
9. Russia (pretty sure Putin just wants to look tough and hates most Muslims, as do most
xenophobic Russians I ever met)
8. Saudi Arabia (pretty sure they are really part of the problem)
7. Belgium (lots of CT practice in last 30 years)
6. United Kingdom (fanatics with cameras everywhere, MI5 and SAS are good at their jobs)
5. Canada (please keep north of the border and keep anyone who enters North American through
your borders north of our border)
4. India (may seem strange, but the Indian govt does quite a bit of CT work)
3. France (they have some really well trained CT groups, just haven't always used them well)
2. Germany (efficiency matters)
1. Israel (you want to know how to do CT, learn from the best)
Addressing Climate Change
3. Anyone silly enough to suggest the the U.S. should foot most of the bill (which basically means
every other country in the world).
2. China, PRC (yep, now they are on this list twice, once as part of 10, here because they are right,
do not believe for a minute that a one size fits all solution is practical for addressing climate
change)
1. Canada (hey we share a really long border, electricity producing facilities, etc. we should
cooperate a little better on climate change--besides noone will really believe I put Canada this
high up on any list)
I spent the last week grading papers, grading exams, grading homework. For me, this effort was typical for the week of Thanksgiving Break here at GCC. Of course, I take off Thanksgiving Day to be with my family and the Saturday afternoon following to watch the Iron Bowl. Between papers and exams I read, I read blogs by other scholars, I read AP stories with headlines that intimate some subject about which I am interested in knowing more, I peruse news services looking for headlines not found in the AP. I read quite a few stories in the last week about credible partners for the U.S. in fighting terrorism, in addressing climate change, etc. I thought then about how to categorize, rank, organize credible partners. For my two cents, what follows are the lists of credible partners in...whatever I title the list.
Partners in Crime:
10. Ivan (my dog deserves to make some list)
9. 5FDP (if you have to ask, you will not understand anyway)
8. the boys (we will always have each other's back)
7. A.M. (never hurts to have a LEO with you if you are being stupid)
6. B.M. (even if you did by a 5.56, at least it is a cool one)
5. E. P. (always have a home-brewer along)
4. B.C. (Take along someone big enough and potentially mean enough)
3. B.B. (yeah, you get to be a partner in crime--probably already were)
2. K.E. (the crowd needs some mellowing)
1. T.D.G. (yeah, you know why you're here on the list)
Ok, really, the lists are supposed to be about real stuff:
Partners in Counter-Terrorism
10. China, PRC (still not convinced they are fighting terrorists versus wanting to kill Uighurs, etc)
9. Russia (pretty sure Putin just wants to look tough and hates most Muslims, as do most
xenophobic Russians I ever met)
8. Saudi Arabia (pretty sure they are really part of the problem)
7. Belgium (lots of CT practice in last 30 years)
6. United Kingdom (fanatics with cameras everywhere, MI5 and SAS are good at their jobs)
5. Canada (please keep north of the border and keep anyone who enters North American through
your borders north of our border)
4. India (may seem strange, but the Indian govt does quite a bit of CT work)
3. France (they have some really well trained CT groups, just haven't always used them well)
2. Germany (efficiency matters)
1. Israel (you want to know how to do CT, learn from the best)
Addressing Climate Change
3. Anyone silly enough to suggest the the U.S. should foot most of the bill (which basically means
every other country in the world).
2. China, PRC (yep, now they are on this list twice, once as part of 10, here because they are right,
do not believe for a minute that a one size fits all solution is practical for addressing climate
change)
1. Canada (hey we share a really long border, electricity producing facilities, etc. we should
cooperate a little better on climate change--besides noone will really believe I put Canada this
high up on any list)
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