Nuclear Proliferation Is Not Bad in Itself

Mark Steyn in the NR Corner says

Consider two possible responses to the inevitable Iranian nuclearization:

a) The Sunni Arab dictatorships (Saudi Arabia and perhaps Egypt) decide to go nuclear rather than live under Iran as the regional hegemon.

b) The Sunni Arab dictatorships knuckle under the Iranian nuclear umbrella and Teheran becomes the de facto controller of Arab oil supply and much else.

I'm not sure proliferation wouldn't be the least worst option.

King Offa's Border Policy

I was reading about the border policies of King Offa, the Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia. He made no attempt to conquer Wales. Instead, he built Offa's Dyke, a boundary-marking ridge, and every few years he raided Wales. (Click here to read more.)

That is a common imperial boundary policy. Mark the boundary, so the barbarians know how far they're permitted to loot to, and if the barbarians make trouble, launch a punitive expedition and burn down some of their houses. Don't attempt to conquer them, because it's not worth the expense of keeping a garrison in a wasteland that won't yield much taxes anyway.

That's what we should have done in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the addition of pre-emptive expeditions to stamp out any preparations for barbarian raids.