[ml/nj]

The alternative is to cut and run like the Democrats want him to, and guarantee future disasters. In time the Democrats will probably get their wish. We will retreat to our borders and wait for the final battle.

It only guarantees future disasters if we do nothing. We are certainly better off without the Taliban, and without Hussein. Even if both regimes returned they would be many years behind where they were two years ago. If they, or their replacements, were to make threatening military progress we could always return to do what we have already done.

I certainly don't advocate waiting, but I do not think we have any obligation to help them rebuild either.

ML/NJ

[Enterprise]

I understand, but without trying to build a strong central government, Afghanistan and Iraq are guaranteed to descend quickly into anarchy and warlords being in control again. The resulting chaos is perfect for people like Bin Laden to hide in and plan future terrorist strikes against America. There IS no short term solution.

The irony here BTW is that President Carter's disastrous Mideast policy is what enabled Khomeini to seize power in Iran and plant the seeds for the eventual terrorist acts we see around the world today. Just a little bit of BALLS and foresight by CARTER may have defrayed the ISLAMOFASCISTS by several decades.

[Enterprise]

The other thing that we must keep in mind is the essence of the article. Look how the Moslems have behaved in the past and ask if there is any possibility that they have changed. And then ask how many do we need to kill to get them to settle down again for a couple of centuries.