Crusaders and Debaters

Crusaders
Here is an excellent short history of the long history of conflict between Islam and its neighbors, mostly Christians. Specifically, it takes US News magazine to task for hewing to the Islamist line that the Christians started all the trouble with the Crusades in the 11th century.
1,400 Years of Islamic Aggression: An Analysis

Debaters
Haven't seen the TV ratings yet, but I did catch the Veep debate. It was substantially less somnolent than I had feared. I gave it to Cheney, barely, although Edwards scored some points by saying Halliburton and Enron in the same sentence. Too bad that Cheney didn't have a good refutation, but it is the sort of thing that requires more explanation than their 90-60-30 second format could accommodate. It is easier to make a charge than refute it.
One Edwards comment I didn't hear the pundits question was the assertion that the elections can't be held in Iraq - not enough people (I think he means people like him, not Iraqis.) to monitor and run it. Does he think it helpful to say that a Kerry administration will delay the election? Will that get more support for what we are doing from the people of Iraq? This is every bit as stupid as John Kerry saying that he will get more troops from our friends by asking them to join us in the "wrong war in the wrong place."