The "Persuasiveness" of the "Strong Horse"

Here is an interesting piece about the many reasons that a terrorist simply drops out of jihad, and returns to ordinary life. The author, Michael Jacobson, notes the impact of slights, grievances, money and lack of respect for leadership in such decisions.

What he doesn't mention is the extent to which robust American self-defense might also play a part in convincing would-be jihadists that they're likely to be laying down their lives in vain. That's probably due to politics (he concludes the article by asserting, without more, that the war against terror is "clearly not going well" after discussing the not-insignificant Al Qaeda drop out rate).

What can be neither ignored nor denied is the existence of a definite upside to America cultivating a reputation for being "forward-leaning" when it comes to protecting her people and her vital interests. Let's hope that in their eagerness to "negotiate," surrender in Iraq and otherwise work feverishly to please our critics and/or enemies all over the world, America's would-be leaders never lose sight of the "persuasive" power of the "strong horse."