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That's pretty much a summary of world history up till now. You did leave out the part about the "whom they please" shooting back. There's always the risk that the aggressor misjudges the target community's resolve and subsequent retaliation, in which case the dungeon occupants might well turn out to be the original group's leaders. (Moral of the story: attack the US...plan on a long vacation in sunny Club Gitmo)

I prefer to live in a world where anyone who attacks me or my country has to face real consequences. It isn't a matter of justification, but practicality. International law isn't worth much, especially if the UN gets involved. The consequences delivered by a fleet of strategic planters and columns of M-1 tanks are tangible and, unlike UN resolutions, difficult to ignore.

So the US goes into Iraq, shoots bad guys (no? would you want any of the "insurgents" living in your spare room?), and hauls a few more off to a dungeon on Cuba. Justified? Irrelevant as far as I'm concerned. The people being shot-arrested are avowed enemies who would delight in killing me and my family, my neighbors, any americans, without hesitation, any way they can. They made the choice, they live with the results.

We already know what happens to american prisoners captured by these same people. If there were videos being sold on the streetcorner by my office showing beheadings in Cuba then yes, I'd be concerned, but that's not happening. Hmmm, come to think of it...after remembering the pictures of the bodies falling out of the WTC I might not be all that concerned about what happens to the rest of the same group that caused 9-11.

The lesson of Iraq is not lost on countries like Syria and Iran, or even North Korea, despite what the press would have us believe. An active and vigorous defense, demonstrated resolve instead of appeasement, IS a deterrent. Would Syria have pulled out of Lebanon if an American army wasn't sitting on its border? buttad just gave up 20% of the Syrian economy; no leader would do that out of the goodness of his heart. Sure it's gunboat diplomacy, but in certain parts of the world, for certain world leaders, that's what it takes. Jack Peachicken