[jyl]

And another fact the author overlooks, lets not forget Chechnya (sp).

Here the Russians were tough as hell on Muslim insurgents, just look up how many civilians and soldiers have been killed in that war, how many cities bombed out, Putin is no shrinking violet, appx 15,000 Russian soldiers dead and considerably more Cechens.

And before that, the Soviets were pretty tough in Afghanistan, another 15,000 Russian soldiers dead.

Yet the Russians have continued to suffer major Islamic terrorist attacks, in Moscow and Beslan and elsewhere in the heartland. Being "tough" hasn't worked so well for the Russians, has it?

That's my point. Being blindly and stupidly "tough" does not work. Being smartly and selectively "tough" does work.

Going into Afghanistan was smart tough. Going into Iraq was stupid tough. Our current govt doesn't seem to distinguish between smart and stupid.