Just to be clear, and I say this in no uncertain terms with the backing of the CDC, FDA, Dr. Peter Hotez, and innumerable other experts, the Surgeon General of Florida is a quack. This is not debatable, it is a fact. However, I didn't need all these other experts to confirm it because I am qualified to figure it out for myself. I am an actual expert on clinical research, and I can tell when a paper is bullshit. I am an academic editor for a medical journal and I peer review publications all the time. So don't try to tell me what to think about this, if you are actually completely ignorant of these matters.
With that out of the way, I want to briefly revisit the matter of autocracy. In 1812, Napoleon invaded Russia at the head of an army of 500,000, which is said to have been the largest military assemblage ever as of that date. His plan was to conquer Russia, then march south and seize India from Britain. If that sounds insane, it's because it is.
According to authoritative accounts, only 10,000 of those 500,000 men made it back alive. (Some put it a bit higher, but certainly less than 40,000.) They died of typhus, dysentery, starvation and cold. The Tsar's soldiers helped a bit, but mostly they just stood back and let the French army perish. Napoleon, of course, fled back to Paris in disguise, in a sleigh, leaving his men to their horrific fate.
This was, quite arguably, the worst military debacle in world history. But did it loosen Napoleon's grip on power even a tiny bit? No. In fact as far as the historical record can tell us, it didn't even occur to anyone that Napoleon should abdicate or be replaced. On the contrary, he raised another army and went to war with the rest of Europe, ultimately leading to his famous defeat at Waterloo and exile to the island of Elba, imposed not by his subjects but by the enemies who defeated him. But then guess what? He escaped from Elba in a small boat, landed in France, and was welcomed back as emperor by the French people. That didn't last long -- the European allies beat the crap out of him again and this time, they sent him to a remote island in the Atlantic.
So don't expect Vladimir Putin to go away any time soon.
1 comment:
At least the world got a good palindrome out of his exploits:
"Able was I ere I saw Elba."
But he did finally end up on St. Helena. I hope Vlad finally ends up on an island with his two lovers, Donald Shitler and George W. Fuckhead.
At least I can dream.
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