Security in exchange for...?

Why is freedom the first thing yielded in this struggle against Radical Muslim Rage? Why do a large percentage of the police force think they are Jack Baur (from the TV show 24). Why have we allowed a FISA (star chamber) court to operate in secret? Why do we tolerate thugs with badges to terrorize law-abiding citizens? Why are we throwing pork-barrel dollar after dollar at the Department of Homeland Security?

The authors are firm believers that the US will be simultaneously struck with ten or more nuclear weapons within the forseable future, however this does not justify allowing the police state to run around mugging the populance. Freedom is what "brung us" and freedom is what will save us.

Might we utilize the massive coercive force of the US Government against the known troublemakers, the axis of evil, before we unleash the power against our own citizenry? After we've exhausted all efforts against the Radical Muslims, all our diplomatic and military efforts, our law enforcement, our Congressional actions and our Justice system, if we have any strength left, then and only then should we carefully consider giving up the smallest rights within our own country.

Is it more important that Iraq be a democratic utopia or is it more important that Iran be prevented from developing nuclear weapons? Then let's high-tail it out of Baghdad up to the Iranian border and get on with it. If we're going to spend a trillion government dollars a year, let's at least take the fight to the adversary.