[gavinlit]

"There are countless times in history where numbers of innocent payed the ultimate price along the road to saving hordes more innocent, that's just reality, it's an imperfect world. "
In some cases this is undoubtably true. That the current situation in Iraq has any relationship to your statement is dubious.

Which hordes of the more innocent are we saving by being in Iraq again? What exactly is the link between Iraq and 9/11? Should we invade every state that suffers from a type of dictatorship or just those that do not serve our interests? Should we support or endorse forms of dictatorship that support our interests? Does the use of torture save more innocents or less? Does the detention of suspects without charge or legal representation save more or less? Does the creation of a police state save more or less? Do we have more or less freedom now than before 9/11?

I pose these questions as our country, while not having suffered the consequences of terrorism, distances itself further and further from any form of compassion or acknowledgement of previous signed conventions, while passing legislation that would be appropriate for a police state, all justified by waving the real/imagined flag of terrorism/border security. Sound familiar? Sadly, if you scare people enough, common sense and real liberty and freedom seem to be easily given up.

As an aside - do you feel military action can be/has ever been effective in preventing terrorism? Or is it possible that the current strategy is likely to create more fundamentalist zealots ready to attack the US?

I for one, thank the members of the serving military for being ready to die for the country and feel ashamed that our leaders are ready to use these people and see them killed in a war that did not need to be. If not one innocent Iraqi citizen was killed I would still think it morally and legally wrong. Once the innocents are added to the body count I don't see how the action can possibly be justified.