[ReleaseTheHounds]

I think Mr. Blank has made some interesting observations, but he fails to bring these observations to a useful summary. Part of what has happened with our successes in Afghanistan and now Iraq is that the US has demonstrated that force can be projected to take down regimes without the huge collateral damage to the country, the civilian population or to our own troops.

This is the opposite message from the Clinton experience in Mogadishu where the US would "cut and run" when the collateral damage got ugly. That was the great hope of Usama bin Laden and Saddam: the US doesn't have the will to stay the course... Public opinion will prevent America from projecting its power. The Arab-street will rise up... blah - blah - blah...

This inspired war-plan must send shivers down the spine of Iran, Syria, many of the other Arab kingdoms, and North Korea. While the terrorists may still feel empowered to do their terrible acts, they may start to find that the regimes that gave them aid and comfort are a bit more reluctant to continue that aid and comfort.

This war on terror will go on for decades, but the battle has been joined and our leaders have gotten us off to a good start.