[crazyhorse691]

Nice sounding platitudes leading to the much repeated refrain that social conditions are the reason for ....everything; Its all our fault, you see. The article didn't come right out and say that, but, the smell and the thorns are there.

[MNJohnnie]

Say Leftists. How many Nazis did killing Nazis in WW2 create? or Samurai? or Fascists?

[weegee]

Whining editorials don't mean a thing.

[thoughtomator]

If we are to rise above endless conflict, the Muslim world must see America as something other than the Great Satan

I truly believe that we need to replace Allah as their god. When they're all praying for the mighty USAF to stay his divine wrath, we'll have won the war.

[dfwgator]

the Muslim world must see America as something other than the Great Satan

That will only happen if America becomes a Muslim state.

[dfwgator]

Nice sounding platitudes leading to the much repeated refrain that social conditions are the reason for ....everything

Gee, I guess that explains why the majority of 911 hijackers came from wealthy Saudi families.

[Physicist]

There is an Iraqi "front" in the war on terror all right. We created it.

We did. And it's a damn good one.

[pissant]

We are winning the war. Against islamic jihadis and against the MSM. And they can't stand it.

[jazusamo]

Is it surprising that The Oregonian takes the position of blame America first? Not in the least, Portland is the liberal bastion of Oregon.

[Gritty]

But, unless we want to fight a full-scale war endlessly, we must find ways to engage Muslim governments and societies more fully and more productively.

I wish us luck. We'll need lots of it. Every single other approach which has been tried for 1400 years has ultimately failed.

Perhaps this is because what is going on here is much more than simply a lack of Muslim "trust" or "respect"?

[WilliamofCarmichael]

President Bush reminded Americans in his sobering television address that we do have enemies. They are aggressive, committed people who hate the United States and are deadly in the pursuit of that hatred.

Then the President turned to the threat from other countries. . .

we will not win this war on the battlefield . . . .

See the post-war writings of the North Vietnamese Communists thanking the "anti-war" movement and praising the American media as their "most valuable guerrilla." Win all the battles, lose the war.

But the lens through which many in the Muslim world see us shows them war, destruction -- and, inexcusably, sometimes rape and murder -- at our hands.

See the "we created a monster, all U.S. military are war criminals" Senate foreign relations subcommittee testimony by John Kerry (1972) representing the view through the Communists' lens.

U.S. troops win all the battles -- U.S. enemies within surrender the war. Go figure.

I have. All 200-year-old republics are entitled to at least one patriot-dictator. I've been looking since at least 1972.

[newgeezer]

If we are to rise above endless conflict, the Muslim world must see America as something other than the Great Satan.

Whatta crock of steaming shiite!

Instead, how about we convince the entire world that Islam is pure evil? Mmm-kay?

[VRWCmember]

If we are to rise above endless conflict, the Muslim world must see America as something other than the Great Satan

Yes, they must see us as a powerful enemy that will crush them if they attack us. The must see us as such a vengeful enemy that their grandchildren's children would quake in fear at the thought of launching a terrorist attack on us.

[chemicalman]

Winning battles doesn't mean we're winning the war

Rightttt....and Clinton didn't think oral sex was sex.

[Pietro]

"Ultimately, winning this war means winning the trust and respect of millions of people"

I disagree. Ultimately it must be shown that self determination is in their own best interests,

[ChadGore]

I'm not asking for much from a any poll who wants majority power at the federal level, just these 4 simple facts:

1) Afghanistan was a military victory in 2001-2002.

2) Iraq was a military victory in 2003.

3) They are both part of the War On Terror.

4) One, Two and Three are all good things.

"The problem with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, it's that they know so much that isn't so."
-- Reagan

[DugwayDuke]

"Ultimately, winning this war means winning the trust and respect of millions of people who have been taught we are the Great Satan. The longer we engage these people mainly on the battlefield, the more opportunity our enemies have to portray us as something we are not. And the longer that goes on, the more unlikely "winning" becomes."

You know, I do believe they are onto somthing here. Taken literally, we should flood the Islaamic countries with Christian missionaries. Once they are all converted to Christanity....

[uncbob]

We will win it by supporting -- not imposing -- social reform, economic opportunity for the average person and self-determination in the Muslim world.

Hey genius
Bin Lade and his cohorts who attacked us in NYC were from well to do families

[tobyhill]

Can't win a war without winning battles but the Rats and MSM are the only ones that can claim that US can't win period no matter how many battles won.

[LexBaird]

In Iraq, the president has made himself a prophet, of sorts, by conducting a campaign that makes American troops tempting targets not just for Iraqi insurgents, but for foreign fighters drawn to the conflict to feed a bloodthirsty, perverted ideology and kill Americans. There is an Iraqi "front" in the war on terror all right. We created it.

He says this like it's a bad thing. Newsflash, genius. You win wars by seizing the initiative and making your enemy fight your fight. Instead of waiting around for the terrorists to initiate "a new front" in, say, San Francisco, we are instead drawing them out to their deaths in Iraq.

This also has a bunch of side benefits. We gain strategic position in the ME, we eliminate a major terrorist bankroll, we drain the festering sore left over from 1992, and we try something other than the failed realpolitik stability policies of the past 40 years.

[Shamrock-DW]

"They are aggressive, committed people who hate the United States and are deadly in the pursuit of that hatred."

Then like rats, eradicate them.....

"Ultimately, Afghanistan can operate as a state only if its citizens, its tribes and its local fiefdoms agree on a common future. We cannot kill enough Taliban to bring that about."

Sure you can... kill all the Taliban...problem solved...

"There is an Iraqi "front" in the war on terror all right. We created it."

Wrong answer hocky-puck...planned and directed by Saddam....

"The longer we engage these people mainly on the battlefield, the more opportunity our enemies have to portray us as something we are not. And the longer that goes on, the more unlikely "winning" becomes."

'Nuff said....nuke 'em all, let Got sort 'em out.....