Mr. Ahern,

I unfortunately through morbid curiosity have been following the debate here. I am not being coy but I will make a sweeping generalization here. People like you, the "elite intellect", attorneys, lawmakers, public officials... etc. Are the reason we can't win a war decisively. I don't say this with disdain, it's just a matter of fact. Public opinion and the world opion of us keep us from accomplishing our goals. People that want to debate about how we treat combatants in Guantanimo, or how we allegedly raped and murdered civilians. How we victimized prisoners in Abu Grab.. Give one battle hardened General real power to accomplish a goal, and I can guaran-damnedtee you it will get done. Quickly and absolutely wickedly violent. Most people forget, aside from myself because I served in the military, that military personel are trained to kill other human beings. That is the first and foremost job. Why are half of our special forces teams stateside when they should be over there right now putting foot to ass?

I conceed your arguements about NATO and the UN are compelling at best, but these have been and always will be puppets. The US is NATO and the US is the UN. We ask their permission as a matter of procedure, not for permission. We need to stop for one minute and STOP thinking these things through. Fundamental Islam responds to one thing and one thing only. Violence. I think it's high time we showed them our darker side.