Efficacy of punitive strikes?

[slapout9]

Maj. Strickland, well between you and Jedburgh and as I have admitted I suck eggs when it comes to a political solution. But here is my police viewpoint I think terroist/insurgents are just Gangs or Crime families or both.The religious or political fronts are just recruiting tools, in the end it's about money and power, protection. The danger I see in Iraq and the oil wells is this. If the biggest and meanest gang gets the oil wells they will control 94% of Iraq's national income according to the paper you talked about.(interesting paper) That means they are in fact the GOVERNMENT, no matter how many elections are held. This is a chnage in there MO(method of operation) instead of just stealing it or attacking it, they will OWN it. This is how gangs become respectable in the US. If this is seen as successfull by other gangs/terrorist/insurgents around the world we(US) have a big problem.

Valid point about the situation becoming long term as opposed to a punitive strike in Iraq, might be an option at another time and place, like south of the border ?!?!