I've voiced this before, and a few people have noted some potential problems with the line of reasoning, but I can't shake it.

Post-9/11, we've instituted who-knows-how-many measures to make terrorists' lives much more difficult. We've reduced their means of funding on the one end of the scale, jailed or killed them on the other. And we've toppled two governments with relative ease and in fairly rapid succession.

We're really raining on their parade.

If I was a member of al quada, I might seriously wonder if what we'd done furthered our cause, or hindered it. The US is more powerful and determined than ever.

No matter how fanatical they might be, surely they can understand that they've picked an enemy that can strike back with immensely greater force than they'll ever be able to muster.

So we caught Saddam, and we're gonna catch bin Laden, if he's still alive. If they decide to have another go at us because of it, they've gotta realize that the punishment they're taking will simply multiply. And if they were to ever unleash a WMD on American soil, I can only imagine the devastating answer we'd send their way. I'd almost pity them.

Maybe it's wishful thinking on my part, to attribute reason to them. Or maybe they know that further terrorism against Americans will not be productive to their cause. With each episode, I could only see the American response becoming increasingly fierce. At what point do they realize this isn't a struggle they're going to win?