Garry Kasparov: The War Is Not Yet Won

Opinion Journal ^ | 08/05/2002 | GARRY KASPAROV

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Written by a guy who definitely can see more than two moves ahead.

Former World Chess Champion, womanizer* and rake, the Cuban Jose Capablanca, when asked how many moves he looked ahead, replied, "One, but it is always the right one." Psychological studies have shown that human players examine about a hundred positions, giving them a "ply", a depth, of only a few moves and yet they play on a par with machines which examine trillions of positions.

Great masters are possessed of an intuition that allows them to extract the essential elements of the situation. Ronald Reagan comes to mind.

* Obviously Cuban Chess players play in different league.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Bobby Fischer is a typical American liberal...

Can't agree, Bobby Fischer is a typical alien presence, a borderline idiot savant he barely ever functioned when he was functioning at all. He is a just a very sad person. Kinda of a "Beautiful Mind".

[P-Marlowe]

which Pawn?

The white one. :-)

[capitan_refugio]

Probably manic depressive; maybe even delusional. I encountered him a couple of times at the Pasadena (CA) Public Library in the late 1970's. I didn't talk to him.

[capitan_refugio]

I can see you have played this gambit before.
You are a tricky one, Marlowe. I'll remember that in the future.

[MeekOneGOP]

Garry Kasparov: The War Is Not Yet Won

Excerpt:

On Dec. 6, 1941, World War II was already in full swing. As with the Japanese airstrikes on Pearl Harbor, the Sept. 11 attack brought Americans into a pitched battle over the future of Western civilization--one that the U.S. had ignored for too long.

As in World War II, the war waged by terrorists began with attacks on Jews. Any attempt to separate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict from the war on terror is futile. Once again momentum is building toward a Middle East peace push, but I'm convinced it is hopeless to look for a separate solution to the Middle East crisis before we achieve victory in the war on terror.

As in the 1930s, every delay in prosecuting this war will raise the price of victory, not just in terms of lives lost in the Palestinian conflict, but also of Westerners who will be targeted. Conventional wisdom says that victory against terrorists will require decades. I don't believe it will take anywhere near that long.

---

Thanks for the post and ping!

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[capitan_refugio]

The term "idiot savant" implies below average intelligence in all categories, save one. Fischer taught himself Russian and reportedly memorized the Old Testament. It was his ability to interact socially that became severely retarded. He had few close friends and put very high defensive "barriers" so that he could avoid most social interaction.

I think many of his problems stem from the fact he was a high school classmate of "Babs" Streisand. ;^)

[Gothmog]

As long as it isn't faux beer I'm fine

[MaeWest]

Could I, pretty please, be added to your ping list? You find the best articles!

[Pokey78]

Sure.

[Scarlet Pimpernel]

"And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."
Yeah, right. Unless you happen to be Oil Rich Saudis. Then you get a free pass.

[Eva]

The fact that I completely missed this article on Free Republic is the reason that I don't post the Opinion Journal articles any more, especially not at 9:OO PM when they are first posted. They just don't get enough attention at that time.

This is a really good article, too good to be missed. Thanks.

[Britton J Wingfield]

Thanks! BTTT.

[RightWhale]

It is time to correct mistakes of the Britts in keeping questionable allies and drawing dubious borders.

Absolutely. If there was a right and a responsibility to set up the various countries back then, there still is.

[biffalobull]

And we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism. Every nation in every region now has a decision to make: Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.

When do we start bombing Ireland?

[Chemnitz]

I think China is behind the terrorists more than Russia, not that I am absolving Russia.

[duckln]

Mr. Kasparov is part of the 'smoke screen' recruited to
'dub' the people. I'm surprised that so many Freepers
have 'bought into' the Iraq hype.

[WaterDragon]

A very important article. Bump for America.

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I'm happy that Kasparov has taken this position, but I wouldn't read too much into. The fact that a computer can keep up with the world's best chess player only proves what a simply game chess really is.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Thanks Meek. Good article.