Wrong, newbie. I don't care if they like us, and are friendly. I just require that they fear us, and like the children they are, behave.
/john
It worked for the Romans for a long time.
Remember what Machiavelli said about being feared by one's subjects: It's okay as long as you're not also hated. The main problem is that by making the Islamic world fear us, we'll have to do things that'll also make them hate us to the point where a much larger percentage of them won't just root for Al Qaeda, but join it.
Ping, tap-him-twice-in-Center-mass,
abso-F*#@in-LUTEly correct!!!
The 1st irony of it is, when our enemies see the millions of people in the West voicing their dissent to war, they view our (democratic free expression...) actions as weakness, and are emboldened by it.
2nd irony; when they fear us, it is out of fear for their own survival... whereas the act of fear on their part will suffice to keep our citizenry safer. Crazy world, huh?
Reminds me of when I learned the real truth about the sale of Manhattan Island to the Indians for 24 bucks worth of beads and hunting knives - all my early history books made this sound like the the deal of the century. Then I grew up, and learned that it was the Indians (who had no concept of property or land ownership) who thought the white man was crazy for giving them the trinkets to 'buy' the land!
Different world views back then, as now. And I'll tell ya, i've been in that part of the world; Life is cheap, and the only thing they understand and respect over there is power.
As you and I both agree, and Machiavelli proved centuries ago... it is better to be feared than loved.
Juan
CGVet58