Oh, please. No great scientific advances have happened because the government tried to control market forces. Any money the government invests in trying to find alternate energy will probably be wasted. Look at the subsidies to US automakers to make a hybrid; yet they were beat by Toyota.

Private innovation is a much more powerful force, and one that doesn't require taxpayer's money.

Government designers are not bound by the real world of profits and praticality. It's like designing a car on Jupiter for use on Earth.

Mr. Baer's analysis is interesting. I'm not surprised by the armchair analyst attitude he speaks off. Why go to the 'stans if you can get the same money sitting behind a desk? I'm not sure I agree with his pessimism on Iraq. He makes good points about oblivious politicians and overreliance on satellites over human intel.

Crazed Rabbit