>>>>I spent a couple years in and around Tripoli, Libya. This country is as good an example as there is of a people that hate Americans for no other reason than we are from the United States.
>>>>
>>>>Not all Libyans hate us. I did make many friends while I was there.
>>>
>>>And that last is the point. In the parts of the world where the terrorists live, there are plenty of other people who don't hate us, but whose attitude toward us was not helped by what we've done in the last 8 years. We need to win those hearts and minds, not the terrorists themselves, but others who live in the same countries. The only way to defeat the terrorists is by marginalizing them and we need others of the same background with us to make that happen.
>>>
>>>Tamar
>>
>>One more point concerning the people we're trying to deal with.
>>
>>While in Libya, I had a Libyan friend. One day he asked me if he could bring his son to meet me. I said Yes.
>>
>>The next day he brought the boy, and the first thing I noticed was the boy's right eye had been injured. I could see where blood had settled through out the white of the eye.
>>
>>I asked my friend what happened.
>>
>>He said that he did it to his first born son, soon after he was born, as a sacrifice in honor of a previous popular leader. I can't remember the name, it's been too long ago.
>>
>>How do you convince people such as this? He didn't hate me, but if his leader told him that I was bad and he should kill me, I believe he would have.
>
>There are religious zealots in this country as well. That doesn't mean they should all be killed as part of a group.

The point being made is, the leaders of these countries that support terrorism have power over their people and they are the ones that Obama has to deal with, not the average citizen. Trying to use diplomacy on these leaders, to them, is a sign of weakness. A thousand pound bomb down their chimney, though, will really get their attention.