Good post.
Game theory is dead on point here. Game theory with imperfect information is even more on point.
But how do you explain the complexities of game theory to an emotional American public?
The problem is the more we rant about how "right"we are and how "wrong" "they" are the more political pressure is created to make a stupid move.
I want retribution--but I would like to hit the right target at the right time with the right results. Let the Clintons of the world attack aspirin factories--I wanted some corpses of people who finance and supply the infrastructure for the terrorist groups who have the capability and intention of delivering "little suitcases" into our back-yard, as well as making sure the individual terrorists get to meet Allah a little sooner than they had planned.
Equally critical is internal security within the government decision-making process. That means those folks who could be subject to blackmail cannot be permitted to be "in the loop".
At times like these the media jackals will have to be fed a pack of lies--the only question is which lies--another game theory question.
Game theory, maneuver warfare, and revolutionary warfare theory ala Che Gueverra, methinks.
I wondered why Dubya framed the situation in the fashion he did. Seems to me that the perpetrators aren't characterized by cowering or likely to be intimidated, but he characterized them as seeking shadows. We seem to be taking the position that we are strong and won't let this rest without massive retaliation, but then it seems like we've set ourselves up to fulfill the intent of those using terrorist tactics. Display to the world a newsworthy event, focus all attention on it, them leave an establishment to appear incapable to control events. Seems like we're just setting ourselves up for another hit.