For all the bashing of George W, wasn't it the Clinton Administration who fostered Al Qaeda in the first place?

MCPO Roger Collins - Master Chief; Thank you. I interpreted your "they need to cast a huge net." as meaning that the net would be cast on both parties (rather than wider in just one party). That would mean that Republicans would have to acknowledge Republican failures and Democrats would have to acknowledge Democrat failures.

Ain't gonna happen.

COL Ted Mc - Somehow we are talking by each other. That is precisely what I meant. While I agree that the establishment parties may not that is what I was doing with my article and I am a solid conservative.

MCPO Roger Collins - Master Chief; I wouldn't say that I'm a "solid" anything. Most of the time the wacko left thinks I'm a fascist and the wacko right thinks I'm a communist.

They do that because I make them defend and support their positions with verifiable facts rather than cant and slogans. They don't like that.

BUT, we are, indeed, saying the same thing. There's blame enough to go around and trying to parcel it out isn't going to contribute to solving the problem. Who really cares WHO "did it wrong", I want to know WHAT "they did wrong" and WHY "they did it wrong" so that it doesn't happen again.

COL Ted Mc - That would be far more credible if it were not for lack of due diligence when it comes to Democratic/liberal issues.

Good point, SSG!

Except for saying that the Middle East mess is on the US. You're right on target, agree 100%. But the Middle East is their Problem and as such is the Main reason the US should stay as far from it as Possible. Unless of course if it risk our Main Ally in the region. The Fundamental problem of THEM is their Ideologies both Political and Religious. That religion of theirs is the biggest part of the hellish situation THEY are in.

Good point, stop the fingerpointing and do something. Fingerpointing's easy, coming up with a solution is very difficult.

I believe more scapegoating and finger pointing.

Note, that support was provided to the Afghan factions of the Mujahedeen before the Arabs started pumping money and people into the mix. Those factions eventually led to what was later called the Northern Alliance where as the Arab faction created the Taliban and Al Qaeda.. Still, our objective then was to push back a Soviet threat. The problem is, we left them to fend for themselves after the Soviets pulled out. This started with Reagan and Bush, and continued with Clinton.