Michael KreponYear-End Contest

Dear Readers:

We have some great entries into our year-end contest to come up with the best haiku, limerick or one-line encapsulation of either the Bush or Obama administration’s dealings with the Bomb.

We have not yet explored the depths of your creativity and playfulness. Contest entries are welcome until midnight, December 30th — midnight being as variable as your time zone. Missing so far: a one-line characterization of the Bush and Obama years. Hard to do.

Comments

  1. Andrew (History)

    Here are my humble submissions for limericks, feel free to take the first if we’re only allowed one submission. Otherwise, choose your favorite!

    Despite chatter most gallant in Prague,
    Inaction has left us agog,
    With neutrons a-flyin’,
    And “rogue states” supplyin’?
    Shall we now fear the dark mushroomed fog?

    We ask, before deals for Natanz,
    Is the onus DC’s or Tehran’s?
    Going mano-Amano,
    We’ll need help from Bono,
    To quell urges to start dropping bombs.

    You can’t confirm or deny the nuke fable,
    But please Bibi, “talk Dugri” – if able!
    Your stockpiles obscure,
    And force posture demure,
    I think we all need to ask, “Is this stable?”

  2. Ricki (History)

    “The Obama Administration’s nuclear posture is best described like spawning salmon in a drying river: doing what’s been done before out of instinct and expectation, doomed to failure, overtaken by events, and likely eaten by a (Russian) bear.”

  3. bob (History)

    Tangental but worth reading:-

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/12/19/amazing-details-from-the-drunken-moscow-bender-that-got-an-air-force-general-fired/

    Curious, as I was instructed that NOT drinking, particularly toasts, would offend the Russians.

    And since when has “trying to play with the band” been a disciplinary issue?

  4. P (History)

    Funny : it’s still dec 30, 23:58 here, and I seem to be already barred from commenting on the initial post. Anyways, you wanted one-line characterizations? I’ll give it a try :

    Bush : Trust me as much as I trust myself.

    Obama : Trust me as much as I spy on you.

  5. Continuing Resolution (History)

    One-line characterization:

    Two presidents, two visions
    of an arsenal transformed,
    but in the end
    not much changed.