Hoser,

If you believe in saving American lives, you wouldn't talk like that.

Here is the central point that conservatives don't understand:

Not everyone over there is either a supporter of America or a terrorist. Some people lean one way or the other, and most are right in the middle and trust neither side. Every time America is perceived the way you just made us sound, those who lean towards us inch towards the middle, those in the middle began to lean away from us, and those in poverty who lean away from us become great recruitment targets for Al Queda, where they WILL kill American soldiers and civilians.

Now does that mean we should budge an inch in our policies to appease the terrorists? FUCK NO. Those who are already terrorists have made their choice, and they're not going back, so fuck 'em. We're at war, and treating them like anything but enemies is living in a fantasy land.

But, antagonizing the other BILLION Muslims who are in the middle is like giving Bin Laden military aid every day. The fact that we're losing a public relations battle to some "dune monkeys" that kill civilians should give you a clue as to how poor our foreign policy is. 9/11 proved that we are vulnerable, that what goes on in the desert halfway across the world DOES affect us, so why do we insist on poking the bear when that's EXACTLY WHAT AL QAEDA WANTS.

The bottom line is this: If the terrorists successfully frame this war as Christian vs. Muslim, WE LOSE, and if we frame this war as civilization vs. anarchy, WE WIN. That's it. THAT'S IT.

We had every ability to win that argument in 2001, and we still have a shot, but right now we are LOSING. Now ask yourself, which side of the argument does it help when Americans tell the world they could give a shit about some dune monkey's personal feelings? And which side does it help when Americans say only American lives are important, when the terrorists are saying only Muslim lives are important? If a neutral Muslim hears both of those things, why the hell should they side with us? Would you?

Now I don't think this is your intention at all, you have legitimate anger against immoral fucks who would kill all of us if they had a chance. I just think you haven't had the opportunity to hear these facts before. I just hope for the sake of American lives that you and all conservatives will take a minute and give what I've said here some thought before automatically reverting back to your positions.

The truth isn't pretty, but every time you say things that reinforce the terrorists' perception of this war, you are giving them a gift in American blood.