How can we support the war on terror? Redefine modern warfare.

It's easy if you try.

I was thinking today -- in light of the protests against "the war," in cities throughout the U.S., -- that maybe we've lost our way. Maybe our leaders, influenced by war profiteering capitalists and the global supply chain for energy, can't see our way clear. Certainly some portion of this statement is true but...

... then I get an email message from the Associated Press sharing the news that Bin Laden (does he even need a first name any more) is threatening "severe actions" against Europeans who publicize political cartoons to mock, satirize or make light of Islam or The Prophent Muhammad. Frankly, I think it's pretty crass 0r even downright racist to paint unflattering caricatures of someone elses Deity, prophet or holy person. But, free speech -- however abhorrent some of its byproducts -- trumps the protestations of Bin Laden and others like him who claim to know what God wants and expects.

Where religion goes kooky is when self-righteous practitoners of one faith or another claim to know what God wants. The satirization Bin Laden refers to was offensive. I found it offensive. But, I also went on with my day recognizing that it was just a twisted creative outlet for some frustrated artist. The artist and his patrons were able to vent some creative steam and no one was physically injured. Moreover, intelligent viewers of these cartoons were left to debate the issues raised with their friends, colleagues or just in their own heads. Or, they could completely ignore it. Or they could write a letter to the editor sharing their approval or disgust. But to plot the deaths of people on an entire continent because some in their society have no manners is quite beyond extreme.

I don't very much appreciate -- even if I find the cartoon offensive -- the idea that I might be blown to bits while sipping a latte on the Champs Elysee just because I did not participate in the fatwa against the artist. Someone needs to familiarize his assanine-ness with the sticks and stones adage me thinks.

So, why would Bin Laden and his ilk threaten physical violence, death and destruction over a political cartoon? Does he really believe that a drawing is the only sign of the anger, revulsion frustration and fear that many people, regardless of religious affiliation, have against him, his followers and radical Islam in general? And, can he really believe that by condemning cartoons he is making a rational declaration of his beliefs? Does he not further understand that with 200 million of his fellow Middle Easterners coming into the work force by 2015, that what these people need is a job, not another overbearing, boarish, death-mongering Mullah? And, as he dwells in caves these days does he not consider that had he followed his brothers into his father's construction business he might be a great deal more influential with only downside being relative obscurity?

It's no revelation that Bin Laden is history's most famous coward. His followers bringing up the horses hind end on that account. Stopping the war on terror would be signaling that terror has merit as a political solution. What needs to happen is that the war on terror become broader, not thinner. The issue is over the definition of what is considered modern tactics of war. I'd argue that job creation in sectors like housing and community building, instead of just weapons manufacturing, is one possible weapon to successfully combat radicalism. Our new warn needs to take the form of government-sponsored agriculture programs and regional infrastructure planning and transportation logistics and technology development and education and, well, you get the point.

I am not opposed to using bullets when required, but what about books, bricks and the building blocks of cultures. It has recently come to light that the ancient Egyptian kings may not have used very much -- or any -- slave labor to build their pyramids, tombs and other wonders. They may have been built as massive public works projects knowing then that idle hands are the devils workshop. It's time for governments and multi-nationals to start putting war profits to work for people in ways that give them meaning, purpose and hope.

Note: We can learn a great deal from the way the U.S. Government provided funding for Louisiana's Road Home Program. Mostly we can learn what not to do. The contractor selected to run the program, a Beltway Bandit by the name of ICF, seems to have felt that the contract to help people get resettled in Louisiana was their own private gravy train (bonuses of $2.7 million were paid out to directors of the company in December 2006 just as they were going public and celebrating a the win of a $765 million contract from the State of Louisiana). I am sure there are some well-meaning people in their company. Their parts, in other words, may not be as evil or inept as their sum. But rather than rip them to shreads for doing what pigs naturally do at troughs, we should take a closer look at what can be learned from their approach to solving big challenges like the one in Louisiana.

Someone said id you want to be successful, you should double your error rate. They did not suggest that you triple or quadruple it which is what we are apparently doing in many places around the world. It's time, therefore, to change the tactics of our war, not end the war itself. Please tell me one of our presidential candidates is thinking about this in some way. If not, then we are all going to lose faith and hope and the only winner will be radicalism, extremism and the profiteers of the status quo.

Eliot Spitzer. A hero to the common man.

Governor Spitzer,

You are a hero, sir. It's time to use up all of those political favors to maintain your hero status. It's time to prove, like Bill Clinton before you, that no resume can be trumped by a mere moral indiscretion. Like so many seemingly flawless leaders over the eons you have stand up and affirm that to err is human and to apologize quickly is a political necessity if you are to continue to keep your public vehicle and driver.

I urge you to stand firm. Don't allow the moral relativists in the press to rattle your resolve to continue to lead. Hookers are expensive -- especially the good ones. And, Lord knows you work hard and deserve a break from the mundane now and again. Besides, everyone knows that you can't get a good piece of ass in Albany. So, I applaud your decision to settle for something better in the end (if you'll pardon the expression). The taxpayers have no idea how challenging it is to be "on" 24/7/365. You need a vice because, let's face it, golf is boring as hell and fat white men in towels bragging about tee shots is not particularly stimulating.

I do feel for your wife and daughters, though. Surely they deserve better behavior from their bread winner. I have done a good number of stupid things in my life. So, I am not trying to stand on falsa firma here. Railing publicly against prostitutes while paying for the services of the same is Olympian in its chutzpah, though. I urge you to see a urologist as I fear you must have a problem walking and or sitting comfortably.

If you resign from office, you will no longer be a hero. You will be just another testosterone-producing schlub who could not hack through real politik. If, on the other hand, you shout to the world, "Yes, I got jiggy with some high class hookers and I don't give a damn what you think!" then you will have my vote for President. But, I'll only shake your hand while wearing rubber gloves. One can't be too careful these days.