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Quote by: rmnunez You suspect, or seem fairly certain, just “paying attention” (monitoring better) has effectively prevented another 911, but the DHS and its “ICE” are notoriously prone to screwup.

Like I said, they don't really have to attack us here. They're doing far more harm to the U.S. keeping us bogged down in Iraq.

Quote by: rmnunez This is fine and dandy, neighboring Muslim countries are within “Desert” in the expression “better in the desert than…

There's absolutely nothing fine and dandy about the Iraqi Sunni/Shiite conflict exploding into a region wide conflict, rm.

Quote by: rmnunez Terrorist attacks in other Muslim countries are a net benefit if this is a religious war, given the diversity of their nationality, more terrorists in Damascus, Aman, Islamabad and Jakarta is still better than more 911-like events over western capitals

A net benefit???????? It would be a gawdamn friggin' disaster.

Quote by: rmnunez A war of attrition? This is an innovative take on terrorism/insurgency tactics.

What are you talking about? The North Vietnamese lost over a million dead to America's 54,000. The Afghanis lost another million to the Soviet's 15,000. Yet both won because they were willing to absord horrific losses in order to wait for us and the Soviets to exhaust ourselves, losing more casualties and treasure than the folks back home were willing to accept. That's attrition.

Quote by: rmnunez Plenty of critical lefties will have you know this is “asymmetrical warfare” and it notoriously involves the ambush and urban warfare.

And that's not what's happening with the IEDs in Iraq?

Quote by: rmnunez Wars to draw out and sap the strength of an enemy over time require comparable numbers, it’s a game of patience. A fifteen year plan involves all sorts of contingencies and at the rate they are going it will take about 20 more years for the US to reach Vietnam levels.

Yes, and that's THEIR plan. Iraq has 26 million people to our 140,000 troops. They'll fight for the next fifteen years if necessary. After all, Afghanis fought for 10.

Americans, on the other hand, were told we'd be home by Christmas.... of 2003. Americans aren't going to support an indefinite war, and as I've said...our military won't hold up for another year.

Study: Army Stretched to Breaking Point

Quote by: rmnunez Terrorism entails intolerance and bloodshed, this is why the Coalitioneers (and sensible leaders in the international community) seek its eradication forcefully.

Seeking and achieving are two very different things, and so far the achieving isn't going at all well.

Quote by: rmnunez There are plenty of scenarios; Iran, North Korea and Syria offer potential. The US could easily scramble 70-120 combat jets heavily armed and inflict thousands of casualties, including civilians, from Iraqi installations in any neighboring country.

I'm pleased you think so. Unfortunately, the military's own report says otherwise. I hope you're not offended, but I accept their expertise over yours.

Quote by: rmnunez Do remember Iraq intervention took place two years after 911, Afghanistan was the one that followed 911, but it wasn't immediately thereafter, there was a substantial delay as I saw it

Also do remember that prior to 9/11, Bush had shown exactly zero interest in terrorism, completely ignoring Richard Clarke and other Clinton people tried to warn Bush of their concerns regarding international terrorism.

Bush was far more interested in more important stuff... like StarWars.

And invading Iraq.

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