There seem to be escalating threats to the security of many, many people in the world. Weapons get more powerful, more easily delivered and there are more and more extremists of all ilk. I suspect it's a matter of time before a major disaster occurs, one with more of a toll than the very local WTC catastrophe.

One would have to wonder how to protect oneself from these threats. One way would be to try to kill everyone who doesn't like you. A corollary of that is that those you don't kill are too afraid to do anything. The problem with that is like dismembering starfish. They multiply almost logarithmic manner. The effort against the US takes on a religious fervor.

Another way might be to make friends, to be seen as a benefactor of the poor, oppressed, those without much in the material sense. One could work cooperatively, creating an atmosphere where most of the folks on earth would regard it as not in their best interests for the US to be attacked. An atmosphere where people would work with the US to neutralize threats to either the US or themselves.

That's not as ego gratifying as the "bring 'em on" mentality, but certainly would have to be more effective as demonstrated by the experiments with invading Iraq and Afghanistan. Those have been counterproductive, at best, expensive in terms of life, limb and treasure and producing results which are the opposite of the stated aims.

Arf