If other countries are directly behind it, we should go after them, but we shouldn't attack a country just because terrorists use it as a staging area. After all, they use the United States as a staging area. Uriel has a very good idea, which is apparently on its way to being proposed as legislation: bring back letters of marque and reprisal, which would mean groups authorised by the letters killing members of the terrorist network(or turning them in, if inside the United States) for bounties. The thread's here.
As Bush has given us the impression that he doesn't want a "show" war involving a two million dollar missle against a 10 dollar tent
And that's a good thing.
I agree. Recruitment is also a MAJOR concern for terrorists. Finding suicide bombers isn't all that easy. Rash moves however can only aid bin Laden types in their efforts to bring in other wise moderate haters of the US.
It also helps him show the moderate leaders in the middle east to be unable and unwilling to fight the west. Bin Laden becomes the sole resource for the radical looking for expression.
As always, I am grateful for your essays.