Kill 'em all and let Allah sort 'em out

Babble on.

Reports like this portraying the Al-Sadr thugs holed up in the Imam Ali shrine in Najaf as battling the mighty American behemoth to a standstill drive me nuts, because they don't recognize the fact that the U.S. is fighting voluntarily with one hand tied behind its back.

Fighting from within a mosque because you know your enemy is too decent to retaliate in kind is cowardice, pure and simple.

I know the larger strategic realities prohibit it, but a little part of me would like to see the U.S. make the following announcement:

"A flight of B-1 bombers recently took off from Tinker AFB with a load of precision munitions intended to reduce the Imam Ali shrine and all those who fight from within its walls to small pieces. The aircraft will be overhead in precisely two more hours. Anyone who wishes to leave the shrine is welcome to do so, provided they leave all weaponry behind, and publicly swear never to take up arms against the Iraqi government again.

Make no mistake: if any fighters remain inside the shrine in two hours time, we will turn the site into a deep, smoking crater.

We know this policy represents a dramatic shift for the United States. But we believe it is unfair to our soldiers and to the majority of peace-loving Iraqi citizens to allow this revolt to continue because we refuse to fight on the insurgents' terms.

So from now on, we will accord religious sites precisely the same respect as our opponents do. If they avoid mosques, so will we. But we will obliterate any building which they choose to make a base of operations, religious or not.

We encourage any who have influence on these fighters to exercise it now, for once the shrine is gone, it will be too late for intercession. Do not doubt our resolve."

Babble off.