Solving Intractible Problems

There are two issues that currently have people riveted to the news (and no, I'm not counting Natalee Holloway's disappearance as tragic as that situation is for her family).

I'm referring to the space shuttle and Iraq. Both problems are seen as very difficult to deal with, and require serious thought. So, I've provided an interesting suggestion. Instead of trying to solve the problem immediately before you, expand the problem.

The shuttle Discovery is currently in orbit and repairs to remove gap filler have been deemed successful. That problem was minor, compared with potential catastrophic damage that could have been caused by insulation falling from the external tank during liftoff. Thankfully that didn't happen, and there are serious questions as to why this problem continues to occur. Some think it has something to do with a change in the formula and process to make the insulation. The insulation formula process included freon, which was deemed an environmental hazard, and therefore a different formula process was used. The results have been something less than optimal (one shuttle destroyed, others dinged, and the fleet grounded once Discovery returns to earth). Whatever the cause of the shedding insulation, the issues with the shuttle are even more fundamental. What is the current US need for a reuseable space vehicle, and is the shuttle even reuseable? Why are we relying upon a 30+ year old technological marvel? Where is the next generation space vehicle? In an era of limited resources, is putting more money towards the shuttle a smart idea, when there are better, more robust solutions?

The shuttle program may have run its course. Should we continue trying to solve the small problems with the shuttle, or should we realize that the shuttle program is the problem in the first place.

Similarly, the situation in Iraq appears to be unsolvable. Terrorists continue to infiltrate from Syria, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. US soldiers continue to die in various places around the country, and Iraqis are dying in even larger numbers at the hands of the terrorists.

What should we do there? Leave? I don't think so. That's handing terrorists a media win, despite the fact that the terrorists have lost far more by the US establishing a democratic regime in Iraq than most Americans realize. The US has liberated 25 million people, and most of them are happy for that fact. Those who aren't happy are those who would much prefer the prior totalitarian regime (being the Ba'athists) or would like to impose fundamentalist Islam (many of the terrorists, including al Qaeda).

No, the way to solve the problem in Iraq is to expand the problem. Look towards Iran, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. The solution to Iraq lies on its borders. Eliminate the threats - the sources of those terrorists, their financing, and access routes, and the Iraqis will be safer, and the US will be safer. Oh, and we'll be able to bring democracy to those countries as well.