So what you are recommending is an invasion and conquest of the Middle East.
Isn’t that what we accused the Nazi, the Russians, and are afraid that is what China will do given half a chance.
And what then, how many American troop will it take too hold the whole of the Middle East.
America is a super power yes as Russia was and as was Nazi Germany in her day but she is a republic well she was the last time I looked not an Empire Builder.
This terrorist activity is a direct result of America in her role as the worlds policeman.
Osama Bin Laden is a Radical Islamist, his movement want to overthrow the Saudi Royal family and create a Islamic state on the lines of Iran well more harsher, he wants to spread this movement to all of the Arab states.
The biggest obstacle is America, America is using both Military and financial support to prop up every pro western Arab state in the Middle East, and not a single democracy amongst them
If you to replace the covert support with direct invasion, then you will have the Holy war that many on both sides want.
Yes we will win a conventional war but they wont fight conventional they will use terrorist methods against all our bases on a larger scale than so far.
Your Government will be forced to react with harsher and harsher methods while introducing one law after another to combat terrorism at home, maybe even getting rid of that constitution on the way.
The Vietnam war changed American society it done a lot of damage this war will do even more.
You have to ask your self do you really want America to be the worlds policeman, do you want to see an American Empire.
The terrorist will pay for this atrocity using covert and overt means but after that the West needs to take a long hard look at its foreign policy.
Tony
I'm not too sure that we have the power. Klintoon did a lot of harm.
Maybe that's the problem. Maybe we don't really have the power anymore. Perhaps the military is so emaciated it's become a hollow shell. Do you really think all those aircraft carriers are fully manned? Are there spare parts for all the tanks? The planes? How many weeks of cruise missles do we have? Maybe Powel is no chicken ... just a realist.
You need to look at a globe and realize just how small the USA really is. Your kind of thinking will get us more enemies than we or anyone can deal with. I'm glad W is aware of this.
Saudi Arabia is no friend of ours. They established and have financed the Madrassas in Pakistan and Afghanistan that are turning 6 year old boys into cold blooded monster terrorist by the time they're 10...they pay OBL's way and have been supporting him all along, regardless oif what else they say.
I'm starting to feel this way myself. Heretofore I have held my tongue because I figured that Clinton did so much damage we may not have the "stuff" to back up the tough talk - at least not yet.
But talk of a real estate deal for Arafat, getting jerked around by the Saudis,...too much political correctness still in the air. Also, who knows how many people are "blackmailable" by the enemy? Didn't Gephart state that Condit was far from the only one?
I wonder if the sleeping giant really woke up.
Ain't it the truth, first Blair beats us in declaring war, and now Sharon shows more balls than both the UK and US together while we play "kissy face" with Syria and the like ...
Sheesh, when are we going to "ACT!"