Well, let me clarify what I meant. I think it's a huge mistake to assume that Americans are any less capable of taking a fight to its finish than other nationalities, when the situation warrants it. The blood that was spilt at Guadalcanal and the Battle of the Bulge should have dispelled that myth before it ever got started. The idea that the USA will give up and call off the dogs as soon as they realise they're not going to have it their own way is a dangerous delusion for anyone that wants to tango with them.

Nor do I think that Americans have forgotten or forgiven what happened on September 11, or that it has ceased to matter to them.

However, I think it's also a dangerous delusion to believe that the Iraqis will give up once they see how strong your resolve is. Maybe some of them are killing American soldiers because they're Saddam supporters or Al-Qaida sympathisers; but if my country were invaded by a superpower - even one that claimed to have my best interests at heart - I'd probably think it was my patriotic duty to take up arms against them, and I'd be very surprised if the average Iraqi citizen didn't feel the same way. (Sure, they were cheering the "liberators" in the streets of Kabul - if my country were invaded and overrun by the world's greatest superpower, I'd probably want to do some serious ass-kissing too. But would that reflect my true feelings toward the invaders? Maybe not.)

But I think that some Americans - even maybe some on this forum - are beginning to wonder if George W. Bush didn't abuse their righteous anger in order to settle a personal score. We were all told that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction (Always Capitalised). Oops, sorry, no he didn't. Our bad. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> But he was in league with Al Qaeda. Well, oops again. Sorry, no he wasn't. Our bad. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

So are Americans going to lose their stomach for a fight? Not as such, but they might well start to question whether the "security" measures being implemented are really for their benefit.

I guess we'll know for sure when - I mean if - Kerry wins the election <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

My point about the Military Police reservists who are going to go to prison for their handling of the prisoners at Abu Ghraib was that these were ordinary young men and women whose only intent was to go overseas and do their patriotic duty; because they were plunged into a situation for which they had no training, no experience, and inadequate supervision, they're going to be hung out to dry by the people they volunteered to risk their lives for. Maybe it's just me, but I think that sucks.