UCI "intifada"- response to Chuck

First of all, Chuck, thanks for the comment. I'll try to take your points one by one.

Sorry you don't trust the source. In law enforcement, anything that came from a snitch had to be fully corroborated because it could not be trusted on its own. If the word came from a fellow cop or agent, I took it to the bank. (I know what you're going to say to that.) I completely accept the eyewitness account of a fellow teacher.

You say that it is not possible for our adversaries (the terrorists) to destroy our country under any scenario. Of course, I agree with you. The Soviet Union could have because of their arsenal. The terrorists don't have that arsenal-but I think we can all agree that they are trying to get their hands on those types of weapons. Think of Iran, run by a bunch of lunatics, whose president openly talks about "wiping Israel off the face of the earth". We know they are working to develop these weapons. Think of Pakistan whose president (our ally) could be assassinated any day. What happens if the crazies take over that country-with its nuclear capability? I am trying to make the point that within the next few years, it is entirely plausible that some sort of dirty bomb or nuclear device could go off in an American city.

You draw a comparison with our actions during the Cold War, a topic I know a thing or two about. There is an important distinction here. The Soviet Union, whatever its evils, was not run by irrational people (at least not after Stalin). Yes, they had the ability to wipe us out, and we had the ability to do the same. Thus, two powers, run by sane rational people kept the peace rather than engage in mutually assured destruction. The problem here is that these terrorists are not so rational. They (folks like Ahmedinejad and Al-Quaida) don't care if they go up in smoke along with the rest of the world. They would relish martyrdom.

As for the Al-Quaida types, they killed 3,000 Americans in one day. Maybe the next attack will kill tens of thousands- how many are you willing to tolerate? If they get the right weapons, these numbers could be reality. Not enough to "wipe us off the face of the earth", of course, but again- how many would you accept?

You want to grant Geneva rights to terrorists? Who is eligible for Geneva rights? Uniformed soldiers fighting in an army representing a nation which also observes Geneva rights-that's who. Not people who aim to indescriminately kill civilians, women children etc. and torture and mutilate their prisoners. Do I support Gitmo? You bet. Do I support the government listening in on conversations between suspected terrorists overseas calling their "friends" in the US ? Absolutely.

Cheney- I know he got those deferments during Viet Nam, and as a veteran I say-shame on him. But I still support what he has done as Defense Sec and VP. (calm down, now) He is trying to defend us from more terrorist attacks.

So there! Now take a deep breath of that fresh Tennessee air. You'll feel better.