The cost of anything beyond our current small-scale exploratory probing of space has to be astronomical with our current footing. Imagine how much fuel/energy you would need to get industrial mining equipment to the Moon or asteroid belt, extract meaningful amounts of material, pack it up, send it back to Earth orbit, and de-orbit it intact.

Unfortunately even a united Middle East has little chance against Israel and its American attack dog. Capitulation and appeasement is likely the more attractive option to them.

"As crazy people exchange gunfire on the street, neighbors lock their doors and hunker down in their houses."

If car companies can't adapt and innovate in 10 fucking years then they deserve to go under.

Russia probably isn't much of a concern right now.

China...we wouldn't overextend a conflict to the point where China gets involved, right? ...Not again? ...For the third time?

The only reason you people care so strongly is because of the "51st state" crap. You're the same small, scared little people that every American is, that any person is, really.

If you think upending your life to start an insurgency on behalf of other people, people on the other side of the planet even, should be expected behavior, why don't you slide on down here and show us how it's done? Let's see your face and a body count on CNN.

Would any psychologist risk their entire career and criminal liability to grant anyone a pass to obtain a firearms license? For what is ultimately a hobby?

American Christianity is a death cult straight out of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign as the transparently evil bad guys. They should not be allowed to steer modern society in any way.

I don't think the SG actually believes that, but whatever serves the goal of European military independence.

The more concerning shorter term threat is a rogue United States, but that's a hell of a thing to admit publicly.

It's a tough proposition, because Islamist militants have a recent history of destroying artifacts and desecrating historical sites. At least if they're stolen, the possibility exists of repatriation in the future, when Syria hopefully has a stable government.

But the people involved in this are most probably not curators in spirit like that, they're thieves and mercenaries looking for a cashout.

There's going to be a bit of contextual nuance when deciding whether to share intelligence and when. I'd bet if we had a respectable statesperson friendly to Ukraine's plight leading this country we would have gotten a few days notice at least.

Between nations that share trust and respect, theoretically, it would give them time to reposition themselves to the coming reality, and perhaps more importantly, give any assets they have in the area a warning to keep their heads down/not step on any toes.

Imagine becoming an internationally-wanted spy for a couple hundred euros.

It's not all on one man. One third of the country is seething with impotent, misguided rage and wants to kill at least another third of the country. None of what he has done, or will do, would be possible if this were not the case. He gives the orders, but thousands, millions of people are carrying them out.