Raid on the Sun

Twenty-four years ago today, at 5:35 pm, a group of Israeli F-15s and F-16s changed the course of history by successfully bombing and destroying the Osirak nuclear reactor at Al Tuweitha, near Baghdad, Iraq. Here is an interesting (albeit cheesy) presentation that explains the details (also see here). Last year an outstanding book was published which gives all the background and details of the story. This is one of those rarely discussed and often distorted events to which Winston Churchill's words apply: "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." It is, at any rate, comforting to see that as soon as there is something questionable going on anywhere in the world Italy is never far behind and Chirac has his hands in it as well (via sleepingfeet). Incidentally, I'd like to take this opportunity to join the Economist in calling on him to resign (for totally unrelated, but equally felt reasons).