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I think the question turns on whether America's people who claim the Christian name choose to live as Christians or not. It may be that the attack will serve as a chastisement to recall us to faith. It is therefore incumbent upon Christians in this time to live as Christians, to pray, to fast, to give alms, to proclaim the Gospel.

On the one hand, the Gospel is a message of peace. On the other, it is not peace as the world gives it. "I came not to bring peace, but to bring a sword," Christ told his disciples, who also gave them His peace. The defense of innocents is the only Christian cause for war, but this is our cause now. Not vengance.

I still desire our initial stroke in this war to be impressive, to inspire terror in the terrorists and those who might support them, but I do not wish for the death of innocents at our hands.

I would flesh out my suggestion of demanding surrender and if surrender is refused, the sending out of non-combattants (by multiple media: radio, leaflet, loudspeaker on drone aircraft) before devastating an objective (fuel-air weapons would suffice, but nuclear weapons have more terror effect). Those who surrender should be well-fed, have their medical problems attended to, and be treated with great kindness.

"Those who surrender should be well-fed, have their medical problems attended to, and be treated with great kindness. "

Kill as many as we can and feed the survivors. It does have a certain flair. Ok, but they get MREs.

I would flesh out my suggestion of demanding surrender and if surrender is refused, the sending out of non-combattants (by multiple media: radio, leaflet, loudspeaker on drone aircraft) before devastating an objective (fuel-air weapons would suffice, but nuclear weapons have more terror effect). Those who surrender should be well-fed, have their medical problems attended to, and be treated with great kindness.

Mentioned previously on this thread has been the suggestion of destroying their idol shrines. I have an idea. How about just irradiating ^{TM</font size>} the hell out of a couple of their shrines with some nuclear material, for example that black meteorite thing that they are supposed to kiss. In the first place, what kind of god is allah that he cannot protect his 'holy' places. Second, only those would be killed who obeyed the idolatrous command to worship the stone, thus presumably minimizing the loss of innocent life. What would your bishop think of that?

Cordially,