AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM AND COMMON SENSE ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE

We can only prevail against extremist elements (and they are elements, not countries) if we quit spending 400 millions of dollars daily promoting American empire in Iraq, Afghanistan and now Pakistan; bring our nearly two hundred thousand soldiers home so they will stop increasing to the million plus death toll we've already inflicted; and exchange lip service to creating a Palestinian state for the role of being a credible, impartial proponent of same.

While this is simple common sense, two overwhelming barriers; fear of political damage from being labeled a defeatist, and fear of retribution from the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex will likely prevent that common sense from ever being implemented by whoever occupies the Oval Office.