I agree with most everything you say. Where I disagree is you sound like the rest of them on television and talk radio who want to do the same thing we did against the Soviets. I believe we are fighting a different animal than the Soviets where the old rules will not apply. I think one way we are failing in this war is we - the United States and the current administration - is still allowing the Immans to preach their insanity. I think what would be effective is every place we go in, we establish a telecommunications center which broadcasts Christianity 24/7 at 100,000 watts. Even if it is just someone reading the New Testament. I say this because even though we can beat them with bullets and such, their talk is still being heard by confused people. Their is no alternative for them to choose from. By the way, I enjoy talking with you.
What old rules are they, The Soviets never played by the rules, nor did we, whenever there was a chance to stir up trouble you would find the Soviets or there proxies there pouring in arms, money and advisor's, it was a very dirty war, in fact a lot of the problems we have today are a direct fall out from the original proxy wars.
And we have set up a radio net broadcasting into Iran called Radio Free Iran as well as some smaller ones run by Iranian dissidents , also A new generation of American diplomats and intelligence operatives are being trained up in the Farsi language and in Iranian history and culture.
I think the main problem with so many commentators in America and with the American people is you are so incredible pessimistic, you write reams of stuff about your self, you are to weak to greedy to soft and then believe it, coupled with that is the can do it, can do it today attitude.
Sometimes something will not take a day or even a year but will take a lot longer, it doesn't mean it wont succeed.
Iran is under a dictatorship, its leadership needs to maintain its grip on the nation through force and repression and it does not have the money or industrial potential like China to buy of its workers with work, increased pay packet and a better standard of living.