The war is often called asymmetrical because it features (mostly) poorly armed and trained individuals seeking to control and defeat us through acts of terror versus our might forces.

The question becomes, what must we do to change the situation? Obviously treating the perps as regular criminals is not going to prevent attacks. Civil libertarians go bananas when we intercept data/telcon's from/to overseas, etc., etc. I somewhat agree but recognize that it is possible to cut off your nose to spite your face.

Our media and political class, not being of faith themselves, are incapable of understanding that this is really a war over religion. As I noted, the radicals believe, God and Allah command them to do what they do. And, sad to say, there is enough support within places within the Muslim world for these acts that the terrorists exist somewhat comfortably in some areas of some countries.

This argues that Islam must be reformed as the early Christian church was reformed. How do we pressure the Muslim world to reform Islam and how do we pressure the various Muslim countries to change while not destroying our own freedoms?

I confess I don't know. I just know that what we are doing now is not working.

My fear is that some terrorist will set off a suitcase nuke or explode a dirty bomb in a major metro center killing thousands.

At that point all bets are off. This country is not known for forgiveness when it is finally convinced that others are seeking to destroy us.

So while we show concern over the rights of the "criminal" we  may be setting the stage for the deaths of thousands of "innocent" Christians, Muslims and Jews and all those in between.