[Eagle74]

I am becoming impatient also, but we should remember that we have had a lot on our plate with Afghanistan, and Iraq. I didn't agree with Bush when he punted the Iranian problem to the EU, as I thought it was a waste of time. But what do I care about the EU's time. But now I think we can deal with Iran, our bombers aren't doing anything, and our navy could use some action or they are going to get all whinny.

[volunbeer]

Good luck on ever getting the left in this country to realize that this is a war to the death.... they want to talk them to death and would probably still be talking when their heads were cut off.

[humint]

VDH: Despite the enormous advantages of Western militaries, there is no guarantee we can keep ahead of terrorists - especially since they are becoming more adept while we seem tired and unsure about whom, why and how we should fight. So far, the U.S. has been able to dodge the latest terrorist bullets. So far, Afghanistan and Iraq are clinging to their newfound democracies. So far, Israel has been able to survive Hamas and Hezbollah, and these groups' state sponsors in Iran and Syria. But unless we in the West adapt more quickly than do canny Islamic terrorists in this constantly evolving war, cease our internecine fighting and stop forgetting what we've learned about our enemies - there will be disasters to come far worse than Sept. 11.

Great Post --- I think VDH and our Sec Def are on the same page. I also think both are brilliant. Check out this excerpt from an AUG22 interview with Rumsfeld.

SECRETARY RUMSFELD: Are the madrassas producing more terrorists? These extreme radical madrassas, are they producing more terrorists every week or month than we're able to capture or kill?

And I don't know the answer, and I don't think anyone knows the answer to that. But it is a fair question, it seems to me. I asked that back in 2003, I believe. And what I was trying to point out to the people in the Department of Defense was that there's a tendency when you call this a global war on terror to think of it as a war of big militaries -- armies, navies, and air forces -- against armies, navies and air forces, and it is not. It is a totally different thing, and it is not something that the Army is going to be able to prevail and -- or the Navy and have a signing ceremony on the USS Missouri at the end of World War II. It is going to be something that's going to take time. It's going to be a long struggle. It's a struggle basically within the Muslim faith of a small minority of violent extremists against the overwhelming majority of Muslims who are not violent extremists, and we need to find ways to empower and strengthen those moderates who are determined to not have their faith hijacked by these violent extremists.