[edible_eye]

i understand, oh sage one. it's just that...

bah.

a segment of america will run with this, eventually, calling for leniency. it's where we, as a people addicted to television and self-loathing, have landed.

massaoui will not be isolated. massaoui will not be forgotten, in the long run. he will, however, use the air time he does eventually get, via his legal team, to further his and his religion's agenda.

the trial is over. the only focus now will be the "rotting away" he's suffering in prison. and those who have followed this inside of that religious sect will hang on his plight and use it to concoct new avenues of justification for their inevitable attacks.

we had a chance to show them we wouldn't tolerate their bullshit, to touch on whatever small amount of fear they may have and what did we, as a nation awaiting another attack, do? we smiled and gave him a pass.

it's been the same thing for this entire war, binks. instead of allowing the military to do what they're trained to do, restraints are applied.

and now we, as a people, have done exactly what's been railed against, in essence, for all those who have shouted to let the military do their job and fight this war the way it should be fought - when the shoe was on our foot, we balked and played nice.

win their hearts and minds.

you make valid points, as always - but the problem i have with this is simple... this is america and we're fighting this war while playing by their rules.