Pew Research has released a new survey showing that a strong majority of the American people do not support President Obama's decision to arm the Syrian rebels. "Overall, 70 percent oppose the U.S. and its allies sending arms and military supplies to anti-government groups in Syria; just 20 percent, favor this," Pew wrote. "Opinion is little changed from December of last year (24 percent favor) and support is down slightly from March, 2012 (29 percent favor)."

Regardless of what the American people think, the administration is plodding deeper into the Syrian morass. How deep they go remains to be seen.

Stepping back, though, you really do have to marvel at the abject absurdity of America's counter-terrorism policy. On the one hand, the danger from al-Qaeda is so tremendous and urgent, that it's imperative that all communications everywhere, including those of U.S. citizens, be monitored and collected in complete secrecy with almost no serious oversight.

On the other hand, it's not so urgent that we can't dump guns into groups fighting alongside (and with the same strategic goals) as al-Qaeda or worry about creating fresh new safe havens where they can plot further mayhem.

(AP Photo)

A German Declaration of Independence would read something like this: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are entitled to beer, pretzels, sausages and the pursuit of ever-increasing speeds on the Autobahn." Woe unto those who would abridge these rights.

The Washington Post reported that Sigmar Gabriel, the chairman of the center-left Social Democratic Party, proposed a national speed limit of 115 kph (72 mph). That went over like a lead balloon, despite the fact that a 2007 poll showed that nearly 2/3 of Germans favor a speed limit on the Autobahn. Still, some members of Mr. Gabriel's own party immediately backed away from the suggestion.

Indeed, some Germans really like to go fast on the Autobahn. The highest speed ever clocked was 268.8 miles per hour, but that was under artificial conditions. (Basically, a raceway was set up for the purpose of setting records.) Under normal operating conditions, the fastest speed was set by a Porsche going 236 mph.

But is that safe? I've traveled on the Autobahn with my father-in-law, and he doesn't have a reputation for driving slowly. (One time, we were going at least 110 mph.) Yet, several cars passed us like we were standing still.

Actually, the Autobahn is quite safe. The Washington Post report goes on:

Germany's roads, constructed to some of the strictest safety standards in the world, rank firmly in the middle of industrialized countries in terms of traffic deaths. For every billion miles driven on German roads, nine people were killed in accidents in 2011, according to figures to be released this week by the International Transport Forum of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In the United States, 10.9 people died for every billion miles driven, while in Britain, 6.3 people were killed.

If it ain't broke, why fix it?

(Image: Autobahn by Alex Berezow)

Bill Clinton thinks President Obama risks looking "foolish" if he heeds opinion polls and stays out of Syria's civil war:

“Some people say, ‘Okay, see what a big mess it is? Stay out!’ I think that’s a big mistake. I agree with you about this,” Clinton told McCain during an event for the McCain Institute for International Leadership in Manhattan Tuesday night. “Sometimes it’s just best to get caught trying, as long as you don’t overcommit — like, as long as you don’t make an improvident commitment.”

While American wishes don't count for much, Clinton thinks the will of the Syrian people matters more:

“Nobody is asking for American soldiers in Syria,” Clinton said. “The only question is now that the Russians, the Iranians and the Hezbollah are in there head over heels, 90 miles to nothing, should we try to do something to try to slow their gains and rebalance the power so that these rebel groups have a decent chance, if they’re supported by a majority of the people, to prevail?” [Emphasis mine.]

It also never seems to dawn on Syrian interventionists that if a majority of Syrians really do support the rebellion, that rebellion is going to win no matter what the U.S. does. Everyone points to the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan as reasons for the U.S. to stay out of Syria, but they're useful lessons for Iran and Hezbollah as well. Insurgents with a wellspring of domestic support can't be defeated militarily, at least not easily or cheaply. The most powerful army in the world backed by the largest economy in the world struggled mightily with a pair of insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.

If Syria's revolution is as broad and deep as interventionists claim, it will bleed Hezbollah and Iran without help from the U.S.

(AP Photo)

Alex Jones is an interesting guy. In his world, there is a conspiracy around every corner -- many of which involve the Bilderberg Group, the incredibly secretive global organization that publishes a participant list and has its own Wikipedia page. This year's meeting, which just concluded in the UK, included a whole host of shady people, from UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to American statesman Henry Kissinger and U.S. General David Petraeus.

Jones was recently invited on the BBC to talk about the Bilderberg Group. He took the occasion to spout many different conspiracies, including FEMA camps and a government eugenics program that puts cancer viruses in vaccines. The most interesting conspiracy, for our purposes here, is that the Bilderberg Group helped found the euro which, according to Jones, "was actually a Nazi German plan to take over countries economically."

That's exactly backwards. The Nazi German plan to take over countries economically involved air raids and land invasions. On the other hand, the Eurozone was formed as a check on German power. The fundamental idea behind the European Union was that a continent that was tied together politically and economically would have no incentive to go to war. Even though most Germans want to revert back to the Deutsche mark, many in the German government feel that defending the euro is part of the obligation the country has to post-war Europe.

A clip of the interview is posted below. It ends with the host telling Jones that he's the worst guest he's ever had, and with Jones shouting, "You will not stop freedom! You will not stop the Republic! Humanity is awakening!"

It's a pity that such passion isn't matched by reality or sanity.

According to the latest Gallup polling, most Americans want no part of the war in Syria:

Sixty-eight percent of Americans say the United States should not use military action in Syria to attempt to end the civil war there if diplomatic and economic efforts fail, while 24% would favor U.S. military involvement.

American's are also skeptical that diplomatic and economic means will end the fighting -- only 27 percent think that's likely.

For now, it appears the Obama administration is hewing closer to the public on this. Then again, polling conducted before the Libyan intervention showed a preference to stay out, and we all know how that ended.

(AP Photo)

Perhaps I'm biased because my in-laws are Polish and live in nearby Elblag, but I think Gdansk is the crown jewel of the Baltic Coast. A few years ago, my wife and I visited Copenhagen, and while it is definitely a pretty city, it is outrageously expensive and a tad bit overrated (particularly the mermaid statue). I haven't been to Stockholm yet, so I will have to reassess Gdansk's "crown jewel" status after visiting there someday.

Home of Lech Walesa's Solidarity movement which helped oust the communists from power, Gdansk is part of a three-city metropolitan area called "Trojmiasto" (which means "Tricity" in Polish). Gdynia and Sopot are the other two cities, with Sopot attracting wealthy people since it has some of the highest real estate values in Poland.

The main attraction is Gdansk's Old Town ("Stare Miasto").

Old Town. Gdansk's Old Town, now home to dozens of restaurants and shops, was largely destroyed during World War II. There are, however, reminders of the ancient origins of the city, such as stones etched with dates from the 1600s and 1700s. (A few years ago, a Gdansk cathedral was celebrating the city's millennial year with banners reading, "Gdansk: 997-1997.")

Town Hall. The giant clock is a part of the old Town Hall, which now houses a history museum.

Town Hall.

Neptune's Fountain. Gdansk's identity and history are intimately tied to the Baltic Sea, making Neptune -- the Roman god of the sea -- a particularly fitting symbol for the city.

Motlawa River. The ship "Black Pearl" is taking tourists on a cruise.

Gdansk waterfront. Part of the Old Town, the Gdansk waterfront overlooks the Motlawa River.

Amber. Amber from the Baltic Sea -- which is believed to be 44 million years old -- regularly washes ashore after storms. It is common to find Poles and tourists combing the beach for beautiful specimens. Of course, businesses are doing the same thing. Craftsmen then shape the amber into valuable pieces of jewelry or art. (These items are from a store on the waterfront called Dawid.)

Jacobsen. We stopped for lunch at a tasty restaurant called Jacobsen which was playing vinyl records with a gramophone. The restaurant also had a very strange fascination with porcelain cats.

Your humble correspondent. Much to his surprise, your humble correspondent stumbled across his favorite European coffee chain, the Italian-based Segafredo. It's like Starbucks ... with the exception that it's really, really good.

Well, that wraps up Compass' time in Eastern Europe. We will most assuredly return in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, please check out the photo-essays on Budapest and Zakopane from earlier in the trip!

Europeans are more likely to distrust banks than anyone else around the world, according to a new survey from Gallup:

Confidence in financial institutions was regionally weakest in the EU; among the 27 EU member states, a median 37% of residents said they have confidence in their country's banks, while 55% did not. However, the trust level in the U.S. was exactly as low as the EU median, in line with the record-low levels Gallup found three years after the recession officially ended in the U.S.

In sharp contrast to Europe and the U.S., many Asian countries have weathered the global financial crisis well and emerged with considerable economic momentum. This momentum helps explain why confidence in financial institutions was highest in Asia last year -- particularly among emerging markets in Southeast and South Asia, where median trust was 77% and 75%, respectively. In Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia, almost nine in 10 residents expressed confidence in the financial institutions in their countries.

Confidence in East Asia did not lag far behind its southern neighbors. Median trust in the region was 66%; in China, that figure was slightly higher at 72%.

None of this is terribly surprising, given the financial sector's role in plunging the U.S. and then Europe into a sustained crisis. But China may not be content with their financial institutions for very long. As the Economist has observed, China's banks are saddled with bad local government debt and "souring" property loans thanks to its recent "infrastructure binge."

(AP Photo)

The Washington Institute convened two military experts -- Gen. James Cartwright and Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin -- to author a case study on whether the U.S. or Israel should launch a military strike against Iran's nuclear program.

The authors conclude it would be better if the U.S. did it, but raise a number of cautionary considerations:

After discussing these issues, the president and prime minister’s advisers suggest that a U.S.-led strike is preferable from a military perspective, since it would produce affirmative answers to more of the above questions than would an Israeli attack. Yet determining which country should strike extends far beyond military capabilities. Attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities is but a tactical step toward strategic goal of permanently halting the regime’s drive toward nuclear weapons. Mechanically damaging the program is not an end goal in itself, since no amount of bombs can destroy Iran’s nuclear know-how. Any strike must necessarily be followed by negotiations and a self-enforcing diplomatic deal that prevents Tehran from reconstituting the program or achieving breakout capability in the future.

Accordingly, the advisers point out that the operational benefits of a U.S.-led attack must be weighed against the post-strike political and military implications. In particular, a U.S. strike could limit Washington’s ability to negotiate with Iran’s leaders, who would not want to be seen as having been coerced by the “Great Satan.” Preserving the U.S. negotiating role is crucial. An Israeli attack may have a better chance of meeting that goal, but it would almost certainly not enjoy the same international support as a U.S. strike. regime of export controls and sanctions that President Obama has so carefully cobbled together. And without strict sanctions in place to prevent Iran from reimporting nuclear material, it may be a matter of years before the regime reconstitutes the program—this time entirely bunkered underground to protect against future strikes.

Iran is likely to react to getting bombed like most countries: unfavorably. If they have the means, it stands to reason that they would pursue a nuclear weapon in earnest following any attack to prevent a similar thing from happening again.

(AP Photo)

German brewers are worried that fracking will ruin the water they use to brew their beers:

Regulations controlling the brewing of beer in Germany date back to the beer purity law, or Reinheitsgebot, of 1516 -- the world's first food purity law. According to the Brewers Federation, German beer still may only be made from malt, hops, yeast and water.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's governing coalition has drafted regulations for fracking, but the brewers say their proposed laws don't go far enough.

In the letter, which was sent to six federal ministers, the brewers said: "The legal changes planned by the federal government to date are not sufficient to guarantee the security of drinking water supplies and to take into account the requirements of the Reinheitsgebot." A spokesperson for the federation confirmed the contents of the letter to SPIEGEL ONLINE.

The letter goes on to argue that the brewing industry is dependent on high-quality drinking water, and that fracking could reduce or even completely eliminate the security of the water supply. The federation calls on the government to continue debate on the issue before reaching a final decision.

(AP Photo)

Last week, I presented a photo-essay of my travels in Budapest. After spending five days there, my family and I traveled north to the Polish resort town of Zakopane, which is popular with skiers and snowboarders. To get there, we had to drive through Slovakia, which I believe is one of the prettiest countries in Europe.

Slovakian countryside. A substantial portion of Slovakia consists of mountains, foothills and dense deciduous forests, very reminiscent of Appalachia.

Cattle crossing. Animals that are as large as (or larger than) your car get the right-of-way.

Ruzomberok, Slovakia. The juxtaposition of old churches with Soviet-style buildings is very common throughout all of Eastern Europe.

Orava Castle. Built into the side of a large cliff, Orava Castle is one of the most impressive sights in Slovakia. According to the global repository of knowledge (i.e., Wikipedia), the castle served as one of the filming locations for the 1922 vampire horror silent film Nosferatu.

Orava Castle.

Zakopane. In some ways, Zakopane resembles the Pacific Northwest. It has a cool, rainy climate, but it is freezing cold in the winter. Shown here is a popular ski slope.

Krupowki Street. Krupowki Street is one of the main attractions of Zakopane, featuring shops and restaurants.

Krupowki Street.

Mountain people. No visit to southern Poland is complete without listening to traditional music played by the "mountain people" ("gorale").

Coffee shop on Krupowki Street. The average coffee shop in Eastern Europe is simply classier than its average American counterpart, and it is (sadly) nicer than the average coffee shop in my city of Seattle. (Sorry, Seattle, but I don't dig the "grunge" style.) Also, it is common to find coffee-alcohol beverages on most menus, my favorite being coffee with Advocaat. However, due to America's rather puritan laws on alcohol, such drinks are almost never found in the U.S., and certainly not in a coffee shop.

Nosalowy Dwor. This resort hotel served as our home away from home. The infinity-style pool was quite amazing, as was the enormous breakfast.

After two nights, we departed for my wife's hometown of Elblag, near the Baltic coast about one hour southeast of Gdansk.

This latest trip was my tenth to Eastern Europe. I highly recommend a visit, as it is beautiful and your dollar goes a lot further here than in Western Europe. But, note that most people don't speak English, although that is changing among the younger generations. So, it's useful to have family or friends help show you around.

Gen. Jack Keane and Danielle Plekta argue (paywalled) that the Obama administration should go to war against the Assad regime:

To successfully target Assad's air power, one option is to outfit moderate rebel units vetted by the CIA with man-portable antiaircraft missiles, otherwise known as Manpads. Providing more moderate rebels with Manpads is a reasonable choice, though unlikely to be decisive because time is on Assad's side. There is also a risk that the weapons could be diverted to al Qaeda-related groups. Despite that risk, however, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former CIA Director David Petraeus recommended this strategy last summer.

A cleaner and more decisive option is to strike Syrian aircraft and the regime's key airfields through which Iranian and Russian weapons are flowing to government forces. If American forces use standoff cruise missiles and B-2 stealth bombers for these strikes, they will be out of the enemy's reach....

If the U.S. pursues this strategy, moderates among the rebels will be strengthened, Syrian civilian casualties are likely to be reduced (though not eliminated) and finally, after two long years, Assad will be on notice. This option leaves room for escalation to the no-fly zone, and for a further escalation to attacks on Assad's ground forces if he uses chemical weapons again or tries to transfer them to America's enemies.

It would be nice to know how an intervention will help consolidate a post-war Syria that somehow accommodates itself to American interests and purges itself of al-Qaeda elements. These are critical details that are almost completely absent from most opinion pieces urging American intervention.

Just as with Iraq, it seems far more important to most Washington hawks that the United States precipitate the collapse of a hated regime irrespective of what follows -- even if what follows (as, again, in Iraq) are al-Qaeda sanctuaries and heightened sectarian civil war.

(AP Photo)

Last year, I rendered a not-so-flattering portrayal of my first ever visit to Budapest. However, I am pleased to report that my third visit to the city, which just happened this past week, went quite splendidly. Yet, that doesn't mean Budapest is off the hook; Hungarians still need to address their disturbingly racist hostility toward Jews, Africans and Roma (Gypsies), not to mention their government's erosion of free speech and the rule of law.

But, that's enough political commentary for now. Friendly or not, Budapest is a beautiful city with plenty to do. Here are some of the highlights from my recent trip.

Chain Bridge as seen from Buda. Budapest was originally three different cities, Buda and Obuda on the west side of the Danube River and Pest on the east side. The spans of the Chain Bridge were destroyed during World War II.

Chain Bridge as seen from Pest at night. This is definitely one of the most impressive views in all of Europe.

Hungarian Parliament. Situated on the east bank of the Danube River in Pest, it is currently where Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his ruling Fidesz Party conduct business. He's been a rather naughty boy, of late.

Szechenyi Baths. A few years ago, I visited the famous Gellert Baths, so I tried the Szechenyi Baths this time. These baths have smelly natural spring waters or large swimming pools to soak in. If you've never been to Budapest, I definitely recommend Gellert over Szechenyi.

Chess at Szechenyi Baths. People bring chess sets and play each other while relaxing in the pool. I played a game with a man (not pictured) who described himself as an "amateur." He then went on to give me a brief lesson on the history of American chess and proceeded to destroy me in about 20 moves. Amateur? I think not. But, perhaps I would have fared better if chess were taught in U.S. schools.

House of Terror. This building was used first by Hungarian Nazis (Arrow Cross Party), and then the Communists, to imprison, torture and execute dissidents.

St. Stephen's Basilica.

St. Stephen's Basilica.

Central Coffeehouse. This coffee shop was established in 1887. To put that into perspective, the City of Seattle -- famous for its coffee -- wasn't incorporated until 1869. So, Central Coffeehouse in Budapest is roughly as old as Seattle. Another coffee shop, Gerbeaud, was established in 1858.

Margaret Island. To get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, take a trip to quiet Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube River. You'll still be right in the middle of a major metropolitan area, but it certainly doesn't feel like it.

After departing Budapest, we headed north through Slovakia to the Polish resort city of Zakopane. Slovakia is one of the most beautiful countries I have seen, and my next photo-essay will start there.

I don't really know who "Boya Dee" is but he's some sort of minor celebrity. He was also an eye-witness to the brutal murder of a British soldier that saw two men armed with knives and meat cleavers attempt to behead their victim. This prompted Boya Dee to observe via Twitter:

Mate ive seen alot of shit im my time but that has to rank sumwhere in the top 3. I couldnt believe my eyes. That was some movie shit

— Boya Dee (@BOYADEE) May 22, 2013

Top three? What on Earth has he seen?

In a piece published in September, 2009 I highlighted one of the dangers of Washington's obsession with "containing" Iran:

The principle danger in any containment scheme is that the U.S. will set in motion forces it does not understand and cannot control. The most relevant example, of course, is American support for the Afghan Mujahideen in the 1980s. What began as an effort to covertly bloody the Soviet Union, gradually, and unintentionally, spawned a transnational terrorist movement that eventually struck the U.S. homeland on September 11, 2001. Many of the same Afghan militants who proved useful to the U.S. in the 1980s have now turned their guns on America...

Indeed, the rise of al Qaeda points to the singular danger of any Iranian containment regime: it could stir up a Sunni jihadist whirlwind. The Gulf states, led by Saudi Arabia, would not only need arms to keep Iran in check militarily, but would step up an ideological campaign to undermine the legitimacy of its Shiite theocracy in the eyes of the Muslim world. This ideological conflict would put the U.S. in the absurd position of supporting the same theological forces which have propelled al Qaeda terrorism.

This is precisely what has happened in Syria, especially as Iran and Hezbollah have thrown in their lot with Assad. Here, for instance, is the advice of Max Boot:

In this regard it would help enormously if Hezbollah were not successful in its efforts to keep the Assad regime in power. A failed intervention in Syria would do tremendous damage to its standing in Lebanon, while a successful intervention would allow it to maintain its grip on power by safeguarding the arms pipeline flowing from Tehran via Damascus.

That makes it all the more imperative that the U.S. do more to ensure that Hezbollah loses in Syria–not only by providing arms to vetted rebel factions but also by employing our airpower to ground Assad’s air force and thus removing a crucial regime advantage. Time is slipping away as Assad recovers on the battlefield.

The upshot of this advice is to make Syria safe for al-Qaeda by purging it of Hezbollah. This doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

(AP Photo)

Oh boy:

Silvio Berlusconi’s private disco featured women dressed not just as sexy nuns and nurses but also as President Barack Obama and a prominent Milan prosecutor the former Italian premier has accused of persecuting him.

Those are some of the details that have emerged Friday during the first public sworn testimony by the Moroccan woman at the center of the sex scandal involving Berlusconi.

I've never had the opportunity to host (or attend) a bunga-bunga party, but President Obama's likeness is about the last thing I'd want to see.

And food for thought: would Berlusconi's ladies have had to dress up as John McCain, if he won the election?

(AP Photo)