If you are saying we must convince Muslims everywhere of the justness of our cause, that we'll try to do, and have, from statements from GB on down, from Day #3.
However, if you are saying we must wait until we get the "ok, I'm convinced now" from Imams in mosques in the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, and worldwide, forget it, won't happen. Those Muslims are still blaming "daddy" for all their problems, and have been for so long they don't realize it. This politics of "victimhood" I thought was just a domestic thing, but it's clear it's international.
All you have needed to do for the last 50 years is whine about the bad U.S., and you get a cookie. And that goes for Israel, whose culture I admire. None of these geopolitical welfare states have anything worth saying, or anything we need from trade with them that they don't need more from us, if that requires us to submit to any kind of damage, economic or terrorism. This isn't arrogance, it's economics and social momentum. We have it, and we're damn lucky, but won't for long if we keep frittering our treasury to dictators, and allow our politicians to make us patsies for the dysfunctional governments of the world.
That means we must defend ourselves vigorously, with a clear message: damage us, and you will pay. If we get damaged by someone we THINK is guilty and get the wrong party, it's our intent that is important. And we declare our intent to get terrorists. We are doing a damn good surgically precise job of it, so far.
As far as your fear of greater terrorism, I agree, but have come to the conclusion can only be to be as honorable in our prosecution of this as possible. Eventually the ROW will come around. And already have, for the most part.
For that reason, the other criticism is lack of powerful Homeland Defense office -- so far it's a dud. |
