Can't we identify the enemy?

They are not fighting for freedom, they are fighting for control.

If, by the "enemy" you mean the terrorists, I would say identifying with them is impossible--at least if you're a normal human being. Understanding them is another matter--and vital if we are to eradicate terrorism in the long run. Unfortunately, if the Bush administration has made any effort along these lines, they've not made use of the knowledge to inform either military or foreign policy.

Identifying with the Iraqi people is an entirely different matter--at least in therms of understanding their culture, values, and why they are supporting the insurgency--which, according to all polls and other indications, most are--either actively o rat least to the extent of wanting the US to leave.

And--there is a fundamental misunderstanding of the views of the Iraqi people that is at the core of current US policy thinking--on both the Republican and Democratic side. What that is is fairly straightforward. Put yourself in the place of the average Iraqi "man in the street--" who may in fact be quite happy that Saddam is dead and gone. Beyond that, though, he sees that his country has been invaded and taken over by a foreign power. That occupier is still there after more than 4 years--the tanks and armored vehicles still roll down the streets of his town or village on a daily basis. The government the invader installed is ineffective, and its officials, though nominally elected, were in fact selected from a list of "candidates" approved by the invader.

The point? From the viewpoint of the average Iraqi, the insurgency, despite its overtones of terrorism and sectarian violence, is a resistance movement fighting to expel the foreign power that now rules his country, and to overthrow its client regime.

And--yoou cannot "win" a war against a people fighting to liberate their country. Youmay be able to repress them, if you are brutal enough--but the minute the US leaves, whether there is a superficial cessation of violence or not--the Iraqi government will fall. Whether we sta y20 days or 20 years. The outcome will be the same. Only the body count--on both sides--will be different.

Not until it is too late can you identify this enemy...We probably did mess up by going to Iraq and have made a mockery of the war on terrorism but one truth remains...this is an enemy without rules, regulations or scruples...As much as I like to sit on my high horse and spew my left wing agenda, I am convinced that our only defense is to strike fear in the hearts of our enemy. I value life more than I can describe, but I would be lying if I said I was not a bit happy every time one of these scum terrorist are killed by our boys.

We have been trained by the media into thinking that there is no evil through the use of political correctness... it is now impossible to call something what it is without being called a fascist, racist, "gun lover" or some other angry word... to me our enemy is clear: they want everyone to worship their god and obey their laws, they want to suppress women, they want to control how you sleep, drink, eat, think, pray and otherwise move through this world and they have shown, out-right that they are ready and willing to senselessly murder ANYONE who does not obey... there are some who would argue that our current administration is the same... they are wrong... our laws are created to protect our freedoms from those who would destroy them while the enemies' laws are designed to remove freedom... as i have said before: anyone who thinks the U.S. has an oppressive government should enjoy thier right to leave and go live in a country with a REAL opressive government...

What exactly has HAMAS done to the United States. Remember that is is the democratically elected government of the "Palestinian Authority " and includes many Christian Delegates. The christian population of the Holy Land has the same duty to resist Israeli Occupation.

Hizb Allah defended Sarajevo from the Serbs, They were fighting the Taliban in the Herat area of Afghanistan while we were sending aid to the Taliban. The Christians in Lebonan support Hizb Allah. The Israeli air attacks on undefended Christians in Lebonan sort of ruined whatever support they had.

Almost the entire Christian population of Iraq has fled the US Occupation.

Perhaps Identifying the enemy is harder than you thought.

you're also a bit naive, many of the so called "terrorists" in Iraq are not part of Al-Queda, Hezbollah etc.. they are Iraqi citizens who view the USA as an occuupying foreign power

Right now our enemy resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington.

He is the biggest terrorist in the world and responsible for more deaths that any terrorist organization in the world.

Our true enemy:

1) The Yankees

2) Yoko Ono

3) The "Church" Of Scientology

4) Pat Robertson

5) Hillary Clinton

6) HMO's

7) Workplace Quotas

8)Industrial "Music"

9) Rap

10) Wiggas - smack a wigga for mommy. wedgy their underwear over the belt asses whenever possible

Vin

I see the enemy just fine. he has drawn first blood.

They are fighting a war against the West. Don't forget the liberals are also a dangerous threat to the American way of life too.

No. It's the Pinky and the Brain plan. I just can't figure out who the brain is.