[Thermodyne]

Personally, I have no fear of being nuked by the minions of evil. I think the risk was far greater during the Cuban missile crises and again during the 70's mid-east wars. While it could happen, it really would not be a viable solution for the involved parties. Remember, they are terrorists, not anarchists. The use of a nuclear devise against and American city would create a situation not unlike what occurred after 7 December, 1941.

Basic human rights would go out the window along with what little authority the UN has left. Rule of law would become rule of might. The third world would be returned to the client status that they once suffered under and the Super Powers would again rise up and dictate how the world was run. The US would blow through the Islamic world with little regard for human rights. This would then trigger China and Russia to begin securing their power bases. I think we can all imagine what would happen if a phobic Russia felt threatened by what they would see as American expansionism.

What it comes down to is the level of desperation that the Islamic power base feels. If the current world situation continues, they will gradually be forced to adopt basic human right for their people. This will dissolve their base of power and they will become a footnote of history. If they hold back the influx of western reform, then they hold on for perhaps 50 years. At that time the will have exhausted their source of income, and be unable to finance their reigns of terror. Either way, the current power base gets to live out their lives as elite members of their society. But if they commit an act of terror that causes America to hate them as we once hated Japan, then the probably don’t live to see the next decade.

By attacking Afghanistan, we have removed a major safe area once enjoyed by the extremists. And by removing Saddam, we will be able to create a democratic state in an area that has not been able to live under the rule of democratic law in a very long time. It would be hoped that this would lead to economic development just as it did in Japan. While it is a painful to chose this course of action, to not act could be much worse. Also, so long as the Islamic world resorts to terrorism, the Israeli problem will never be resolved.