Now that is high praise indeed, I'm flattered and deeply honoured to be held in the same company as Vox, given the immense esteem in which I hold him.

Let me get back to you about the books, I've got a few in mind that are very much worth reading.

Putin strikes me as the kind of bloke that Russia not only needs but wants. It should never be forgotten that Russia has basically always been ruled by men of iron- from the earliest days of its existence as a unified nation. Even today, roughly 20 million people in Russia still think that Stalin- genocidal lunatic that he was- did a great job because he brought "stability" to the Soviet Union and because he "won" the Great Patriotic War (their name for WWII). Russia's economy is doing well largely because of its massive natural resources- I actually worked on a project once involving a major Russian gas producer, and I can tell you, those guys are patient and calculating in a way that Westerners have a very hard time understanding. But, it wouldn't take much to tip Russia straight back over the edge- it's still a fragile economy, and it's headed for demographic disaster. Its population is due to drop by half within the next 50 years, and there is nothing much that they can do about this. Not even Putin can save them from that fate.

I agree with the argument you made. Islam has Christianity beat on faith alone. After all, how many Christians do you see strapping on suicide vests and bombing civilians? There are Christian militia, but nowhere to the same degree as Islam.

What do you think about Putin's Russia? I haven't looked into Russia's economy; however, Putin looks to be the strongest (possible) Right-wing leader in the world. From where I sit, it looks like Putin has a vision for Russia that doesn't include progressive egalitarianism.

those with the strongest faith believe themselves to be " the chosen people", and thus, by default, makes it much easier to dehumanize ones opponents. this dehumanization is what leads to the ability to be genocidal in war, which has historically been a universally successful strategy up to and including World War II. No, im not referring to the Germens and the camps. Our bombing of Dresdin, Japan, etc was banket, total death raining war.

the self righteous have no need to check their conscience. genocide (or at the very least, total and complete war, with no reservations and no quarter). there will never be a child avenging his father if his father is reduced to a fine powder blowing across the summer sky. the never will exist cannot avenge the dead.

this does offend my "modern" sensibilities, to be certain. But it has universally worked throughout history. It would take Obama all of 20 minutes to end all bullshit in the middle east and the muslum world, but unfortunately, the only men who appear willing or able to do this today are muslims.