xepherys

As for providing a peace period, I cannot... but most of the time we've been at war in the last 100 years has been to protect or save someone else's ass. Let's see... WWI... we didn't have much to fear, but our allies did. Rescue! WWII, we tried to stay neutral, but the Japanese decided a nice Sunday surprise was in order... also, our allies needed us. Rescue + Saving EVERYONE's asses! Korea... We went, with many blessings... Sort of a rescue. Vietnam, we went in with the best of intentions... we also weren't the only ones to go (French? Russians?). Failed rescue, but rescue nonetheless. Desert Storm... Ally in need, big bad man taking over small country... world outraged... we went in... RESCUE! I see a pattern, here. Outside of MAYBE this fight, we've never gone to war for shits and giggles. Also, this war is multifaceted... Afghanistan and Iraq are a big package as far as the military is concerned. Whether you believe one to have anything to do with the other or not is irrelevant.

Next issue...

Uhm, excuse me? I'm praying that you are talking about the militant muslims, and not the Americans. We have had VERY few collateral damages during this fight. Some have to happen... it's war, it's not perfect. Oddly enough, most of the innocents Iraqis being killed right now are being killed by the militant muslims. Apparently, a car bomb that kills a bunch of IRAQI police and IRAQI people and IRAQI innocent citizens is okay. But a soldier that fires a missle at a KNOWN terrorist gathering point, and accidentally takes out four or five innocents is unacceptable. I'm sorry, but simply math will show you that they are at LEAST equally bad. Frankly, I think most of the anti-war Americans have no clue what's ACTUALLY happening there right now. CNN and the rest of the media like to shovel shit out as fast as they can print it. If the media is your source, and not first-hand, ass-to-the sand experience, I think you have no room to talk at all. *shrug*