I have always felt that science-fiction provides perhaps the best means by which one can criticize and analyze modern society. The genre if science fiction allows the author to create a set of rules, a setting for the human interactions, partially or entirely removed from our own. In this way, parallels can be all the more clearly drawn between absurdities in the science-fiction world and absurdities in our own world. So, I’m not surprised that we are discussing aliens in a World Politics course.
In other news, the debate was fascinating. Both made great strides, with McCain generally appearing very old and Obama saying “Jim (Lehrer), let me just make a point. I've got a bracelet, too”, and using the phrase “orgy of spending.” Sarcasm aside, I think that Obama far and away won the debate. Generally, he just seemed far more presidential than his opposition.

So, let’s talk about pirates.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/29/world/africa/29pirates.html?ref=africa

To summarize this article: Russian arms (including 33 tanks!) headed for Kenya were intercepted by Somali pirates. The Somali government stated that they believed that the arms would go to Islamic extremists, and requested American assistance. Currently, we are planning on not interceding, even though interceding would strike a direct blow to terrorists. Are we or are we not conducting a war on terror? I suppose not, if we are unwilling to stop terrorists when we have the means to do so due to it being “potentially messy”. Make up your mind, America. Do you hold an ideal close to your heart, or do you only spout it when it is politically or economically convenient to do so?