[Thud]

The price of pulling out of Iraq too soon is continued terrorist attack at home. The American people are engaged in their Andrew Jackson persona. If the Arabs won't change or give us too much grief while we change them, they'll wish the Mongols were back. Hillary Belloc said:

"What ever happens,
we have got
the Maxim gun
and they have not."

Paraphrasing:

What ever happens
we have got
nuclear weapons
and they have not.

http://www.nationalinterest.org/issues/58/Mead.html

THE JACKSONIAN TRADITION
by Walter Russell Mead

"... The only reason Jacksonian opinion has ever accepted not to use nuclear weapons is the prospect of retaliation ..."

The rules changed on 9/11. Once Americans are attacked at home, there are no more rules save those we impose on ourselves for our own good. Americans in their Jacksonian persona have exterminated whole peoples. The Japanese were a lot tougher than the Arabs, and surrendered when they realized we really were about to kill all of them. We were going to gas their cities from the air if they hadn't surrendered after being nuked.

We have that power and will use it.

[a_Turk]

Go ahead. Start the wheels. Grease the skids. Others will follow the precedent. And in the end the world will see total peace with only deep sea creatures alive. Maybe they'll evolve a better sapiens. Let's roll..

[Beck_isright]

Quite simply, I stand by my theory that some Albright leftovers had a hand in this. I hope that proof someday sees daylight to prove me right. In the mean time, they are friends so let's not burn bridges. I'm more concerned about the traitors in Mexico and Canada than the actions of a democratic nation like Turkey.