Laz,
I don't think that the primary reason for the War on Terror is to deflect attention from failed domestic policy. I believe it exists because militant factions supported by militant states perpetrated a massive attack on our homeland. I believe it exists because militant leaders of these factions have avowed to continue such attacks. Finally, I believe it existed at one point in time because Saadaam Hussien was a cruel and toturous despot who went so so far as to drop phosgene gas on his own citizens not because they posed some real separatist or irredentist threat, but because they were ethnically different.

I am not naive enough to believe that there are less than a few politicians that are pleased with the unintended diversion of attention away from the economy, but this is a side-effect not a causal condition.

I do not support a pre-emptive nuclear strike. I should have inserted the word "other" into that sentence and I apologize for the lack of clarity. A PNS would undoubtedly bring about far too much collateral damage and,in doing so, galvanize the efforts and wills of militants across the globe. I contend that the proper course of action would be to properly fund and arm our intelligence community. We are woefully ill-prepared in even the most basic areas of cryptography and linguistics. To avoid the necessity for a full scale ground assault, and for the success of surgical air strikes and other stealth campaigns, we must focus on our intelligence gathering apparatus.

Bill,
I agree that we must cease to be uncritical supporters of Israel. That is not to say that we end relations, but I concur that they must be held accountable for their actions, for too long they have been co-equal provocateurs.

Thanks you both for the respectful exchange of ideas...

Peace,
M