Americans shoot American doctors. In one of the later cases, right in front of his wife and children. At dinner. In his house. Stalked and sniped him. An American sniper shot an American doctor.

Right-wing, conservative Christians shoot American doctors, and more right-wing, conservative Christians aid and abet the killers.

Right-wing, conservative Christians bomb Americans, trying to kill 'em. And one of them even left another bomb to kill the aid workers - cops, paramedics, firemen.

And that's just fine with a significant part of the fundamental Christian population. They fund 'em, hide 'em, console 'em. There are loonies everywhere.

I'm sad beyond reason over the situation in Yemen. I can't help but think that those poor doctors are truly martyrs for a cause they would have not been likely to have - making the world safe by creating more hate.

Clearly, the Bush policy as it stands isn't working, isn't making the world safer for Americans, and IS polarizing much of the world against the US.

And the way out would be so much simpler, constructive, long-lasting.

Win the hearts and minds of third-world countries. OBL is hiding because people are protecting him. Win the hearts and minds of those who are his protectors, we'd have him. If it were just fear, someone on the fringes would have given him up.

One - GET THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR TERRORISM. NO ONE ELSE. Become known as a country which will not tolerate actions against it, and will get the people responsible. NOT everyone standing near, or people who dress like the terrorists, or have the same religion. That creates enemies and sympathy for the terrorists, and ultimately more terrorists. People will admire an effort which is focussed and effective, hate one which creates more casualties among friendlies and neutrals. Focussed and effective, a sniper, maybe, not the current shotgun into a crowd hoping someone there may have been a badguy.

Two - Participate in constructive activities in the countrysides. Truly do it, not the photo-ops where the US would bomb a bunch of civilians, then take a day to stand the shelves in a library back up.

As one example, give scholarships to children, thousands of scholarships, meaningful scholarships. Two or three in every village. What does it cost to go to school in a third-world country? Give 'em something like the NROTC scholarships used to be - tuition, books, room-and-board, AND spending money. Maybe even a stipend for the families. They're cheap, and no one will want to mess with the country which is providing such an opportunity for their niece or nephew, or neighbors niece or nephew.

Pay teachers, or augment their salaries. Don't expect them to be Christian and/or agree with every tenet of fundamental Christianity. They aren't Christian.

Every legitimate good deed will be talked about for years. As is every "friendly fire" casualty.

Three - Open a dialogue with our enemies so as to limit the disputes to legitimate areas, and not imagined ones. It doesn't hurt to listen, and very often hostility evaporates when there has been a discussion focussed upon understanding - not agreeing, not tolerating, but understanding. As it is, the US seems to be afraid to talk with those with whom we disagree.

For instance, if an Islamic militant tried to post on this board, I believe he (wouldn't be a "she", I don't think") would be shouted down. No one would try to learn better what the reasoning is. And for every greivance we as Americans could come up with, and there are a lot, the militant could match it.

(Raoul tries very gently, very politely to explain the views of many Europeans. I cringe at the insults flung by the children and younger. And all he does is politely, respectfully, mention another POV.)

The "Patty Murray" process COUPLED WITH a surgical attack upon those who attacked us, the very-difficult-to-understand "both-and" process, would be a way to go about it. Would protect us, and start winning the "hearts and minds" battle, which is the one we are losing and the one which is important.

Not everyone would come out of these experiences loving the US - but a significant number will, and more than if you are killing them as the result of "friendly fire". And fighting the "war on terrorism" would be easier, and the world might really become a safer place for Americans.

Because what we're doing now ain't working. And if it ain't working, trying it harder isn't always the best idea. Contrary to what some folks think, no one gets used to their innocent relatives being killed. That creates hate.

Compared to ROW the US invests very little in foreign aid, and very little of that goes to where it's needed. We have to regard foreign aid as helping us, helping us win hearts and minds, the only one with long-lasting implications.

Because if just killing worked, every Israeli would be safe. It will have to be a combination, the dreaded "both-and".

Arf (it's hearts and minds, dummy)