HBS #XXVIII : Winning the war on terror

I've been slack when it comes to participation in the Homespun Blogger Symposiums. July 8th's question:

This week saw terrorism raise it's ugly head in London killing more than 50 people, wounding over 700.

Based on this recent attack...do you feel that we're winning, losing, or holding our own in fighting the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT)? (Hint: The answer may be none of the above.)

There has never been a viable alternative to fighting the war on terror. We can not follow in the footsteps of others and cower behind the skirts of other countries. If we can not depend up ourselves to rid the world of terror who can we depend upon?

basil mentioned there are several fronts to the war on terror. We can not afford to follow the path the Deans, Kerrys and Kennedys would lead us down; lest all the gains we have made in the war on terror would be for naught. So far the terrorists training grounds in Afghanistan have been destroyed and emptied. Many terrorists have been captured, killed or are on the run. Bin Laden is now an impotent little man on the run, he's no long the daunting fear inducing character of 2001.

Yes we are winning the war on terror. Had Bin Laden's dreams been carried out the United States of America would have crumbled into disarray and we would be begging for the terrorist to stop their attacks. Instead the Taliban has been reduced to a group of lying cowards (Hat Tip: The Jawa Report). Bin Laden is on the run and may be dead. And the terrorist Saddam Hussein has been removed from power and will be held accountable for his actions.

For those of you who may question whether or not Saddam Hussein is a terrorist. Terrorism Defined: All criminal acts directed against a State and intended or calculated to create a state of terror in the minds of particular persons or a group of persons or the general public. So when as he and his henchmen murdered, raped and tortured the innocent people of Iraq they were committing acts of terrorism.

Yes we are winning the war on terror. Instead of crumbling and screaming for a change of leadership we have kept the leaders in place who will not allow our great nation and it's people to fall. Instead of pointing fingers and placing blame we rallied behind our leaders and have stood beside our allies in their darkest moments. Instead of depending upon others to rid the world of threats to our homelands we have taken the fight to our threats and won't stop until they have been removed.

As basil said:

We're winning the War on Terror, because we cannot afford to lose it. We didn't ask for this war. We didn't want this war. We don't want to have to fight this or any war. But it was brought to our shores. And we will fight this war. And we will win it.

For those who feel finding an alternative to oil is the solution answer this: What is the Middle East going to do once their only marketable product has been replaced? Yes we are dependant upon oil; however the Middle East is also dependant upon us. Once an alternative has been found how long will it take for the wide spread poverty that plagues Africa to reach the Middle East? If you think the Middle East is a Terrorist breading ground now, what would happen if the world wasn't pumping billions of dollars into their economy?

An alternative fuel source must be found as there is a limited supply of oil. During this time we must also eradicate the extremists that would do us harm, teach the affected populations how to fend for themselves by helping them find other marketable solutions and spread democracy to allow these changes.

Yes we are winning the war on terror, it isn't pretty and there is a long road to go. We can only hope and pray that our leadership will continue to take the fight to the terrorists instead of waiting until they bring the fight to us.