Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

I think dogs have souls

But not everyone does. I wonder if dogs think people have souls. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

586894_090410_pupC2.jpg
586894_090410_pupC2.jpg
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 26: The hounds and members of the Albrighton Woodland Hunt gather before the start of their Boxing Day meet at the ancestral home of Lord Cobham on December 26, 2008, at Hagley Hall, near Brmingham, England. Thousands of people are expected to attend Boxing Day hunts across the United Kingdom, three years after the hunting of foxes with dogs became illegal, the dogs can follow the scent but cannot kill the fox. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

But not everyone does. I wonder if dogs think people have souls.

Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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