I didn't mean to imply that we've done nothing. I suspect special ops forces are working night and day over there and from what Bush has said, they've had significant victories. But...Bush is losing the propaganda war over the kidnap victims. Just this afternoon the radio was trumpeting a new poll that America's lost patience with the war. Too many American casualties, too much trouble and bad news, so Iraq isn't worth it.
We have to do something overt and nasty (besides bombing that safe house in Fallujah...that was great, by the way, but not enough,)to stop the present violence and to win respect. The new Iraq govt. is taking over in what...another week? We'll have to hold their hand for months and months, and they'll be targeted day and night by these same terrorists. If we could figure out something to prevent attacks, we'd be helping Iraq along the road to peaceful democracy.
That said, this tactic of kidnapping, beheading, pictures at six on Al Jazeera or whatever, won't stop until they decide either it's not working, or too many of their pals end up dead. Let's hope Bush and company can win the propaganda war at home. I can't even come up with words to describe how angry all this makes me.
Back to your extremely good point about Fallujah, that's the second time we hit them hard there. What we need is no more PC nonsense, no fighting this war with both hands behind our back. Muslims reserve the right to cheat, lie, and basically act like vermin. Any treaties they sign they'll proudly break the first chance they get. If the positions were reversed, they would've dropped half a dozen nukes on us months ago. Well, I guess that horror is coming, according to what TV talking heads were discussing a few days ago. Dirty nukes are cheap and easy to make, Al Qaeda will use them in America sooner or later. And if they do carry out a successful attack here before the election, and if voters decide Bush should have acted to prevent it, then Kerry will probably win. Sorry for the rant. I'm angry and frustrated and wish I could come up with a magic bullet to solve this whole mess.
Bush may well be losing the propaganda war - but that has more to do with the WHs poor communications war room (or lack of it), then any reality on the ground. we all know the media is biased of course.
but when stuff like this happens, Bush should immediately walk into the press room and give a statement. He can't allow the media to blame these deaths on him and get that into the news cycle for the sheeple as they go hoem from work and get the news on their car radios. But again, the WH has no media strategy.