[Former Proud Canadian]

The US response to 9/11 was definitely an undereaction. More people died in the mainland attack on New York than died at Pearl Harbor.

The result of Pearl Harbor was the complete destruction of most of Japan's cities, the Imperial Japanese Navy, and the army.

After 9/11 the US conquered two countries who had a hand in the attack. It left standing the government of Pakistan, whose spy service founded the taliban. It left standing the government of Iran who has aided the taliban and bin Landen. It left standing the government of Saudi Arabia, whose nationals carried out the attack. It left standing the government of Syria which sees al queda and the taliban as allies.

Don't tell me "we don't want to bring down the Pakistani government because we don't know what will replace it". Who cares? Was that a problem in WW II? Pakistan is a failed state. It will have to be dealt with as such at some point in the future. Iran is a rouge, terror state that has been at war with the US since 1979. If there is no regime change, it will have to be dealt with, probably very soon. Saudi Arabia is a cesspool of radical islam. I wonder if a threat to turn Mecca and Medina into smooth glass would clarify some thinking among the Saudi leadership. Syria can be brushed aside on any given weekend before the football games.

The US has the power. It simply lacks the political will to use it.

[Netz]

Here Here! A person who speaks truth! Wow, that's telling it like it is! Sure we had no worries regarding post-WWII Japan and Germany because we defeated them and then occupied them. There was a national consensus for doing so. Today? National consensus? Regarding what? The world has changed. What you're saying is true but not all of the options are as easy as you put it. I am all for giving ultimatums and then following through on them but we haven't issued a single one since the Bush years. Now we're with...Barry...sigh*

[dixiechick2000]

What an awesome post!!! I totally agree with everything in it!

“The US has the power. It simply lacks the political will to use it.”

That has been the problem for such a long time. You can go back as far as Viet Nam, and probably further, but that is my reference time for what I’ve personally witnessed.

Even in Gulf War I, they stopped short...h/t Colin Powell. He didn’t think the Highway of Death was politically correct enough.

Sheesh!!!

We are too soft...