These people who are trying to get revenge for the loss of their Mesopotamian empire are the very ones who were terrorists or supporters of same all along. Not only within their empire, but elsewhere. You're trying to make a distinction that just doesn't exist.

Next you'll be calling them freedom fighters. They fight for the freedom to slaughter their neighbors, try to bring down American skyscrapers and pay off suicide bombers. The freedom to deny freedom to others is a zero-sum game. And they lost. So there.

We're not floundering. We're going where the enemy is. And we're scaring others who would have liked to be a threat (Quadaffi.) And we're encouraging those who want democracy in Iran (let's hope we follow through on that implied promise!) Even in Syria, another murderous Baathist state, a few dare to protest for freedom. We're gaining ground everywhere except Europe, and frankly, that's Europe's fault. You call this floundering? It's the best we've ever done! Since this all started at the Munich Olympics, this is by far the greatest rate of forward motion yet. We're ripping terrorism out by the root. Beats the hell out of hiding behind the barricades at home and sucking our thumbs.

Get a grip.

I have to ask: just what exactly would you *not* consider floundering? And does it violate the laws of physics in any way?

I'm not saying we shouldn't have the best defenses possible at home. I'm saying that's not enough. Kerry seems to think it's enough. That's a dangerous attitude. He's for letting them alone to grow stronger, and then they'll attack from a whole new direction. It'll be as unforeseeable as the specifics of the 9/11 attack were. No beefed up port security is going to save us from a dirty bomb or an aerosol weapon or a nuke. Given the right wind direction, none of these things even have to get that close.

After we've wiped out the current nests of Islamic terrorism, we're going to have to deal with Eurabia, land of French nukes and Arab fanatics. Thanks, Spain. Our need for a missile defense has just grown tremendously. And we're gonna have to storm those damn beaches in Normandy again, this time in radiation gear. The robots won't likely be ready in time.