Friday, July 22, 2005

Thoughts on Terror: London, Homeland Security and Iraq

This second round of bombings, or attempts at blowing people up in London has got me thinking. How come London and not somewhere in the United States? This country is much bigger than England. We have more big cities and more mass transit than England. Threfore, we should be easier targets of opportunity. So, how come we haven't had any bits of terrorists to clean off the subway walls?

The only answer I could reasonably come up with is that we are *gasp* winning the war on terror. Well, at least here at home. I mean, think about it. Isn't the terrorist's goal to blow themselves and other things up on our soil? So, why hasn't that happened since 9/11? Could it be we have done a great job on homeland security? (Not that the job is nearfinished)

Terrorists feed on targets of opportunity. For a second time in two weeks, the mass transit system in London has been a target. Thankfully, these people are complete idiots and their second "highly coordinated" attack ended in a little poof. In less than four years, these fools have gone from sucessfully murdering over 3000 people in the WTC bombing to just one injury in England (as least, I haven't heard of any deaths in this latest news from London). That's not only pathetic but very telling about the enemy and our war against them. That means, despite the losses our Armed Forces have sustained in Afganistan and Iraq, we ARE WINNING. And the enemy is getting desparate (more on that in a minute).

Let me put this war into perpective. During World War II, approximately 500,000 U.S. servicemen died for freedom. Just over 1700 of our men have died fighting for two years in Iraq. At that rate, a 10, 15, 20 or 50 year war on terror still won't come close to WW2 levels of loss. Note, the loss of life is certainly tragic and it is my hope and in my prayer that more lives are not lost. But, if 500,000 of our guys die so that 1000 times as many can live free, isn't that worth it? And no, I don't hope I or my children have to fight in that war. Nor do I hope anyone or their children have to fight. But, the cause is worth it.

Now, recently one of our leaders, I think it was Donald Rumsfield, I could be wrong, said that the Insurgency in Iraq is "in the last throes." Since then, the number of suicide bombings and lives lost has severely spiked. In fact, the bombings have gotten so bad that 25 Iraqi children were murdered by a suicide bomber out to kill our armed forces. It should be noted that he was only able to kill ONE of our men. Yet, despite such horrible violence, I think the Insurgency is, in fac,t "in the last throes."

Think about it. When one warring party get desperate, they will do anything to change the tide of the war. Our own military was getting its ass handed to itself by the Japanese in WW2. We got desperate enough to drop two atomic bombs on them and not long after, they surrendered. Now, these insurgents are so desperate to kill ONE of our guys, they are willing to kill 18 of their children - innocent children - to do it. THAT'S DESPERATE. Those kids have families and can you imagine any one in those families now siding with the insurgents? I don't think so. It's not human nature to side with the people who murder your children. The act of killing innocent litte ones goes beyond desperate.

That should show you that they are in the last throes. Of course, suicide bombings and casualities are up. They are throwing everything they got at us. It won't belong before they have nothing left and the insurgency will be defeated.

With the Iraqi Goverment soon to finish drafting the Constitution, more order will be restored. And soon, if the Constitution is ratified and the Iraqi Armed Forces are trained and ready, our boys will be coming home. Considering the insurgency is "in the last throes," I would not be surprised if we were able to slowly start pulling out before President Bush's term is completely over.

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