Quote Originally Posted by Azi Tohak
I'm curious how many governments will have the stomach to continue to fight phantoms. Everyone knows that Bush and his group does, public opinion be damned. How long until someone else shows up with new ideas of how or even if to fight?
Most of the ideas in the plan are not new, but its implementation might bring a change of tack. And policies can and do change in the course of years and presidential terms. I try to look at the bright side of this plan, which is that there is now at least an option on the table to engage in some real 'world policing' instead of the slash-and-burn campaign we have witnessed. But I do share Simon's main concern, as well as another one: this set-up would lead to closer cooperation with some of the most unpalatable regimes, warlords, security services and mercenary outfits. American soldiers will be drawn into more 'dirty' operations together with proxy armies.

Less all-out warfare, less overt confrontation with Muslim countries. More renditions, drones, torture centres.

It is a very, very complex equation...