Tom, I only said the purported leader of Al-Quaida is crafty, not his underlings. I truly believe Osama, as much as I despise the man, is truly a master tactician in that his plans are long range. From what I've observed he will lose a battle, sacrifice some pawns for the larger goal years down the pike. His self-stated goal is world domination, not simply punishing the US in random attacks. In order to dominate the world, your organization has to continue to grow and recruit constantly. His recruiting techniques have been well-documented. He uses his money to finance humanitarian projects in economically depressed fundamentalist Islamic areas. Bin Laden recruits from areas he knows have fallen under the bombs and guns of the Western world. He has the bizarre religion of Islam on his side. No matter how politically incorrect it is to label Islam as a religion of hatred and violence, the Koran is easily translated and distorted that way. Western democracy and free market trade is a clear threat to Islam no matter how noble our intentions may be.

I was in the military myself and I've seen first hand just how ineffective our soldiers and sailors are at being ambassadors of good moral behavior. I'm not in any way trying to put down their sacrifce and patriotism. That's not the issue here. It's more that time when the soldier "lets their hair down". Alcoholism is absolutely prevalent. Military bases around the world are surrounded by prostitution and bars. That's not a judgement because I understand the need myself. Military life tends to very isolating socially and sexually. After days and months of duty tours surrounded by mostly men and often inhuman work conditions, people need to blow off steam in hyper ways. I saw the most faithful, moral and low key men simply come unglued in the Phillipines, surrounded by scores of underage prostitutes and gallons of cheap beer. I learned most of the cuss words I know today during my days in the Navy. Of course there are success stories of positive experiences that our soldiers have with Arab civilians but I really believe, based on my own experience in the armed forces, that those come from a minority of exceptional individuals.

Bin Laden and other terrorist heads know that most American soldiers simply don't fit with the fundamentalist, sexually repressed life they wish to impose on the world. At the same time they know full well that those same military personnel and that inevitable clash of society they bring help them to constantly refill their terrorist ranks.