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D. McDonagh said:
I don't like either of them, Rob. The religious right bring me out in hives.



fair enough! no one likes hives.

but still, in terms of the "commander and chief" hat, which do you favor more, jr's decision to invade regardless? or sr's decision to follow UN order?

and can you at least see how it looks sorta unfair to blame them both?

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Dave said:
By your reckoning, though, doesn't this simply mean that "wars" on crime, drugs and terror aren't really wars?



getting all animalman on that, no, the wars on crime, drugs, and terror aren't really wars, technically. they're simply ongoing struggles.

the term war just seems to imply the offensive effort against each of those negatives.


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Dave said:
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just because terrorism continues doesn't mean the war against them is a failure.



I disagree, Rob. Partisan guerrilla tactics can be stopped, and this war so far has had only limited success.



i don't know what'd make you think guerrilla tactics can be stopped -- especially when they've been going on for millenia!

keep in mind, this is a global attack. one that the terrorists have had generations to support and plan for, and all the finances in the world to back them up.

however, with only three years of aggressive offense against terrorism, there have been phenomenal advances in hopes of routing them out.

invading afghanistan, invading iraq (right or wrong), upping patrols and security, sharing info between agencies and countries, simply spreading general knowledge (how many civilians heard or cared abotu al qaeda in the 90s?) ... all are major, major successes in the struggles.

every day, there are rings busted, shells broken, assets seized, and operatives captured. every day is another day an undercover agent can work eyes and ears into the terrorist organizations.

the only "problem" is that successes get little media coverage, if any at all. if texas doesn't blow up, no body knows, because thats not news.

but rest assured, things like that are happening.

would i dare classify the "war" a success? no. i don't think something as huge and ongoing as this can't be summed up by something as definitive as "success."

but "failure" is way off the mark.

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