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I think many consider all warfare as some conventional exercise, which this one isn't. To eliminate terrorism we have to destabilize state sponsors, without money they are simply thugs with guns stuck in the Middle East.
Iraq was a sponsor as they paid the PLO, Islamic Jihad and others blood money for their actions. They are now removed from the table. Libya another terrorism sponsor has turned in their terrorists, paid restitution for their acts and gave up all their WMD. Afghanistan and more accurately the Taliban are no longer in power. They still have AQ hiding out but they no longer have a government to hide behind or gain support. Saudi Arabia is now cracking down hard not only on terrorists but they have warned the Mullahs they are responsible for inciting violence. It’s not stopping preaching Wuabism but simply reigning in the most violent ones. This was brought about AQ losing ground all over the ME causing them to turn on Saudi's something they haven't done in the past. The Royal family now recognizes them as a threat to be dealt with. Selfish, yes but it at least gets the job done. More moderate states like Jordan, Egypt and Kuwait no longer have to feel isolated as the rest of the ME is turning against these militants. By invading Iraq we have separated the worst offenders in the region. Iran is isolated and I believe we are actively funding groups to undermine the Clerics power. A Democratic Iraq right next store with its Western ideals is an unstabilizing threat to them. It’s hard for people in Iran to live under oppressive Islamic law when right next door they have Internet access, satellite TV and personal freedom. That leaves Syria the last holdout Bathist regime. If Iran falls next they will truly be isolated and will hopefully collapse by themselves. With Syria and Iran gone the PLO issue will also IMO be solved. The militants will not get the money for machine guns and rpgs so hopefully cooler heads will prevail.
Removing two key countries in the war on terror brought all this about. If we only went into Afghanistan Iraq would be their waiting yet again to strike somewhere and still be funding terrorism. I believe this is a just strategy. We simply cannot defend the borders and keep the level of freedom we have now. Relying on simply spending money to defend our borders is a pipe dream. It simply cannot prevent a determined attacker. You could never scan every container, cargo hold, train, airliner or border to stop them. Only by eliminating the state sponsors and going after them in the ME can they be deflected from their main task. The height of the Soviet Union had probably the most paranoid and lethal defenses of any state yet they still had terrorism, drug smuggling etc. and look what freedoms they surrendered for that. Look what AQ has been reduced t lately. Beheading truck drivers and blowing car bombs in markets. A few years ago they were able to attack our cities and even our naval ships. There resources are drying up. They may be able to recruit some goons and give them guns but they are now the hunted instead of the hunters. Every person they talk to may turn them in for the millions. Every holdout may have the door kicked in. Every cell phone call could cause a boomb to drop on them. Already you can see in Iraq citizens forming militias actively hunting down these foreign terrorists. They are stuck so far in the ME killing fellow Arabs who may see them in different light very soon.
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