"While imposition of civil order is what is needed, given that culture and Islam itself, I have to come down on the side that 'infedels' cannot do that imposition. Muslims themselves must do it or they will just hold onto the idea that they must resist."
Why do you think that? For one thing it sounds like you think all muslims are radical fundamentalists. There WERE moderate non militant japanese prior to and during WW2. There WERE moderate non militant germans prior to and during the same war. Iffin only we had attacked and utterly destroyed the militants before they came into their own and decided to spread it around.. But the world doesnt work that way. Ya use war as the last resort. But to assume that the only arabs or muslims that get the press are what we have to deal with from here on out is truly an unsupported assumption. Kill as many radical islamists and the people who just want to run a business, hold a job, or plow a row or send their kids onto higher education, own an dishwasher, a cell phone, a tv, a radio for that matter, can be convinced to support us, again if only they truly believe we are in it to utterly destroy the insurgents.
I don't believe they are all radicals but one must take note of the that they are taught to side with muslims first and foremost. That is far harder to deal with than what we saw in Germany or Japan.
TO say "if only" is fine but then that goes back to Carter as I believe his actions (rather lack of them) really got this current problem going.
Some will blame Ronald Reagan along the same lines( pulling out of Beruit), the only defense I have to that is that he had another, more dangerous at the time, enemy and he did in fact deal with them decisively.
Then it goes to Papa. He did take action against Saddam and Slick willy didn't finish.
I believe this war is and always has been really against Iranian leadership. I believe that they support more terrorism than Saddam did( not that he didn't) and that includes Al Qaeda. We are climbing a ladder that is toppd with the Iranian leadership. Taliban, Al qaeda, Hamas, Hezballah, and Saddam (baathists in general) are rungs on that ladder.
While 'mowing them down' does have merit, I don't think that is the best tactic to employ in this war. One by One....at a time and place of our choosing.... fits much better. I believe this path removes the tactic imams, mullhas and clerics would employ (one they have tried to employ) that we are making war on Islam itself.
This is what the anti war folks do not understand. This conflict did not brew overnight and it is not going to be dealt with overnight. It took decades and generations to foment this problem and it is going to take decades and generations to solve it.
I agree we have to destroy this enemy, Im Just sayin I don't believe we can do that in the same way we did past enemies.
Two things will win this conflict, Time and Resolve.