This is an article from the Institute of Physics magazine I read very recently http://physicsweb.org/articles/world/19/6/3. Just wanted to know what people make of it - it is potentially pretty frightening, but I don't really believe it will happen. If you go to this Professor's website you can hear the recording of what George Bush says, I'd like to know what came next.

I don't believe that it is a big distraction, the UN are also involved, and they didn't support the Iraq invasion.

As for Al-Zarqwari, that gives us something to celebrate, he was a monster. But his death will only bring about more violence in the near future, although if they captured him alive, then that violence would have become more of a desparate attempt to free him, and hence even more trouble.

I hate all these conflicts in the world, how can people be so nasty to one another? A bit of banter, yeah thats fine, but Iraq, Iran and all those other terrorist spawning countries... No need.

I think we should just get the nukes out, and wipe the middle east of the face of the planet. problem solved. Anyone wanna vote for me if I run for prime minister?

I guess I wasn't so much interested in this for the political side of things (although that is huge, central maybe), I was focusing more on the nuclear issue. I heard a talk by Joseph Rotblat (physicist, Nobel peace prize winner, anti-nuclear campaigner) about a year before he died and he showed us figures of the numbers of nuclear weapons in the world - I really regret not taking notes now, but I just found a figure on the internet - 27,600; 10,000 in the US. Surely that's not good! And Mia, I would also like to hear something - could you manage an abstract?

MistaG, that last sentence was obviously a joke.

Lighten up people

lol, The whole sentence was a joke.

If I was prime minister, the country would fall apart within days.

As for the use of nukes, I am against that. They are not powerful enough, perhaps an antimatter bomb like in Dan Browns 'Angels and Demons'. (by the way, I do realise such a bomb doesn't exist)

'Bush is an idiot (i think pretty much everyone agrees on this!)'.

Don't apply for any jobs at Gallop A2D. You won't last long with sweeping subjective statements like that.

Whether GWB is or isn't an idiot is not my point, it's the 'everyone agrees' bit. Maybe your circle of friends/acquaintances/ former and present employers and work colleagues do a2d, but I would consider that sample to be wholly unrepresentative. I would personally want far more compelling evidence of what ‘everyone agrees’.

You obviously don’t like his politics. Neither do I to a great extent. But that doesn’t make him an idiot [well not in an English language interpretation or indeed any other common-place meaning of the word].

..'you'd find it extremely difficult to find anyone in the IR/Int Dev field (particularly in the UK) that wouldn't describe Bush as an idiot'.

What do you base that on Mia? How many have you asked? Is it a commonplace comment in your field’s literature? I just want something more than subjective vagaries such as ‘everyone agrees' or 'you'd find it extremely difficult' etc... before I accept something as fact.

I would personally imagine GWB is an intelligent man, for the simple previously stated reason that it would be difficult if not impossible for an idiot [regarding most common interpretations of the word] to attain that particular public office.

He’s done something’s I don't agree with. That doesn't make him an idiot.

oooh I've missed all this, because I have been 'avin it' @ The I.O.W festival in the sunshine.

Can I ask a nosey question MistaG & Golfpro - are you American?
It's just Mia's or A2D point about everyone (esp in UK) thinking Bush is a twat is not a massively unfounded sweeping statement. There is no need for survey -his lack of popularity it is sooo pervasive, that it is ( in the abstract conceptual sense) as true as the sky being blue

I have found in my experience that Americans I have met whether they disagree or agree about Dubya, do not have a handle on the depth of the dislike for Bush the UK has, nor how strongly this is reinforced and (re) presented via the media.
To argue that Bush is a top bloke who has the greater good at heart would be sucide in most social situations.

BTW - I read somewhere that he has the lowest IQ of any US president ever.

Oh yes tee hee - too tired to write anything clever about subjective cultural interpretation of facts.
Sorry to lower the tone & divert from 'serious important topic' etc.

But I over heard someone this weekend telling someone else to "Cock Off". I've never heard this combo before . Loves it!

Bush Cock Off!

MistaG Cock Off.

I am kidding about the cock off thing by the way Mista G before you get all arsey it was a joke I couldn't resist - I have been finding saying cock off funny all day. I think I am still a bit pissed and on a come down from my festival action.
You have made a terrible assumption about what I said about Bush & the masses. I have noticed you make a lot of inverances, keen to pick and choose your implicature.... chill dude.

BUSH IS A TWAT LA LA LA LAAA LA LA LAAAAA

Cock off -is funny though , right?
Love you man.

might be funny for a 5 year old