<<Conceding for the sake of argument that Iraq is essential to victory in the overall war against violent, radical Islam, the question has to be asked why we are not mobilized for the fight. >>
To ask the question is to answer it, domer. Either the conquest of Iraq is NOT essential to victory n the "overall war against violent radical Islam," or there IS no such war, or if there is, nobody gives a shit about it, probably because it has very little to do with them.
"Violent radical Islam" is best neutralilzed by defensive measures (as can be seen from the very obvious truth that a good defensive posture at the airline check-in counter could have prevented the whole 9-11 tragedy) and by the very nature of the enemy, going after them in their lairs is a self-defeating enterprise because their strength renews itself from the ground up, and they outnumber you and have much more motivation to fight and die than you do.
So the people have more sense than you give them credit for. They don't have the balls to insist that their immature and dishonest leaders stop this ridiculous posturing precisely because it is NOT impacting on them in any real way - - not at the present time anyway, and few if any of the morons can see beyond their next income tax return. The loss of a few thousand high-school dropouts and Hispanic green card aspirants every year means next to nothing to them. The kind of effort you are asking about, which could very well involve a draft and a tax hike, would postitively incense them. Particularly since they have the good sense, which you apparently lack, to know how bogus the entire "war on terrorism" really is. They'll play along with the charade as long as it costs them - - personally - - nothing. Beyond that, they'll revolt against the Republicans en masse. Or the Democrats, if they ever got into power and took this bullshit seriously.
