Central Intelligence was smart enough to leave us open to attack to begin with last I heard, my friend. Counting on them to be smart enough to react to an attack like 9/11 isn't something I'd do. As far as the military or Colin Powell go, I wouldn't care to have a conversation with either one as A. one of them is a complex that answers to a government and not myself and B. Mr. Powell would consider himself more intelligent and of a greater intellect than an 18-year-old Californian kid who goes to Community College and intends to transfer to a UC in two years. Whether I have a better idea or not doesn't matter at all, but if you can get me into a room with the heads of military and intelligence along with Colin Powell then PM me.

But to get to your real question about what I'd have had happen in place of this so-called "war": I'd have reassured the american people that they were safe and make them feel secure (like Bush did). I'd do everything in my power to aid those who need it after 9/11 (like Bush did, I'm sure). After that, I'd tighten security within the nation for the next six months while a worldwide manhunt was launched in search of Osama Bin Laden and those directly linked to the planning and execution of 9/11. In this hypothetical reality, once Osama and co. was caught then I'd leave Iraq and the middle-east altogether. There's no war, no occupation and those guilty get what they deserve; death. As far as Saddam and all that goes; it's not our job to police the world and there are other countries that 1. hate us 2. have nasty weapons and 3. can do more harm than Iraq ever could have, yet we aren't bothering them at all.

If you find flaw in that then PM me bout that too and we'll talk all you like about what you and I would have done after 9/11. My reasons for posting in this thread disappeared with your entry quoted above as it's no longer regarding the one made previously that commented on "common sense" and "traditional" wars etc.

Thank you and have a good day.