To me, AQ is not the threat that it appears to you, Msummo. Obesity is a threat. Global warming is a threat. Oil dependence is a threat. Cancer is a threat. AIDS is a threat. AQ is a group of people that are nuts. Yes, they are diametrically opposed to our way of life and have radically different religious views (than us OR their base religion) but they are killers. Less significant killers than obesity or cancer or AIDs (and if you think of enviro-economic impact - present and future - they are less significant than oil dependence and global warming. Ironic, isn't it, that the exagerated threat we projected on them is currently helping to ACTUALLY increase both of those threats that are more significant and more global). So, we have to decide whether we will measure th threat they impart as 1) how many the've killed (less than 20 K this decade) 2) how many they can potentially kill (well, that's a an unconstructive debate - we've already proven the exageration of their potential) 3) their threat of having a different worldview. We already know you've chosen to include all 3 in assessing your fear of them, and I'm sure any news that their threat is increasing will make you all warm inside.

When I assess their threat, I don't think of it existentially - it either IS or it ISN'T. I think their threat amounts to a 9-year long grand plan that ended up costing us two prominent buildings, billions of dollars, and around 10K lives (including some of my friends who had the unfortunate luck of going to work that day). Fearing, hunting, and killing people based on "their potential to harm" or based on "differing worldviews" is not protection, or security, or justice - it's shortsighted closemindedness with a little cowardice mixed in. I'm not unaware of the struggle and reality of your "existential threat" but unless we can swoop in and get them ALL - we shouldn't waste our time, our money, or our honor on them. Each bullet we fire will kill 1 AQ, but will likely inspire 3 new ones to the radical cause.