Agreed. But, how to wipe it out?
Al Qaeda is a disease. Any good doctor will tell you that the first concern with a disease is containment. Stop the disease from spreading. No amount of care or healing will work if the disease is allowed to spread. Contain first.
We must contain Al Qaeda, and prevent it from further spreading. I thought that Bush was on the right track right after 9/11. Don't rush to condemn Islam, but instead separate the terrorists from the Islamic community. Don't have a kneejerk military response by lobbing bombs at suspected targets, but instead remove an important base of operations for Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
But, that was when the train ran off the tracks. By succumbing to the predetermined neocon roadmap of removing Iraq, Bush lost the containment battle. Each step since has increased support for Al Qaeda if only as a force that has shown the ability to stand up to the evil Americans. Al Qaeda spread, and grows despite the successes we've had in killing and capturing members.
I don't know how we reverse the spread, outside of getting Iraq up and on their feet, and us out, as quickly as possible (i.e. within a year). If that means sectarian violence, well, so be it. The eggs cracked already. The Iraqis themselves will have to come up with a solution: violence, or peace.
Then, we have to repair our damaged image. That can only happen when Bush and his clones are out of office. It is too late for Bush to be seen as a healing force; he has caused too much damage. The next administration will have to start to pick up the pieces. But, it will be a long road... |
