Doe!

Many who are infavor of the war on Iraq say that it will solve the problem of islamic extremism in the long run. They argue that there was no US war in the mideast prior to 911 and look what they did to us then. They will also point out the US withdrawl from Somalia as an example of the US running away when attacked, thus emboldening the terrorists.

All this is a load of crap. For one thing the civil war in Somolia was between rival warlords and had really nothing to do with islamic extremism. And any Somali who was unlucky enough to get caught in that fight knows that the US inflicted 63 times as many kills than they recieved. That is to say the Rangers killed 63 Somali malitia for each US soldier killed. It was a slaughterfest. Nobody questions the American ability to kill thousands in a matter of hours, or minutes.

All actions like Somalia and Iraq I and II do is feed the islamic terror machine. The toughguys are correct in saying that the suicide bombers et al will not be persauded by talk and negotiations. So why hold up Iraq as a solution? It is a terrorist hot-house, nothing more. Iraq is currently a far graver threat to the US and the world than it was under Sadam.

1 It is a war zone
2 It is occupied by US troops
3 It is a hot house for terrorists
4 It provides a justification for violence against the US and its allies.
5 It validates Osama Bin Laden's claims about US aggression

I also say that even if Iraq had been a success, it would have made no fundemental difference in our war with Alqueada. Our enemy does not care if a democratic government takes hold in Iraq. They leadership of the enemy wants instability to grow in the West that is a goal. They want us completely out of the mideast. They wish the destruction of Isreal. They infact scincerely believe in the perfection of an Islamic state based on the litteral interpretation of the Koran. And they will continue to garner sympathy and support as long as we do litterally everything according to THEIR plan.

It would be better to fight them with as little fanfare as possible. Basically swatting the flys as they come by. It would be far less costly, just as effective, and would endanger fewer citizens of the world, the US included. Treat them as criminals and the scum that they are. To do more is to elevate them to the status of world players and that also feeds into their megalomania. Currently our actions are empowering to the enemy. By raising them to the level of prime threat to the superpower we give them a legitimacy that they do not deserve.

The desire to appear tough, while also attempting to glean political capital, has converted these people into a super-power. And this effect, brought on by 9/11, could not have been more sought after by Bin Laden and his cohorts. It was the prize to be handed to them by the likes of Bush and his John Wayne wannabees.