Our fumbling government's response since Beirut - during both Republican and Democratic administrations - has been to cut and run, or to flat ignore this growing threat, apparently hoping it would go away.
It's human nature to start taking things for granted again when danger isn't banging loudly on the door.
Of course, it's imperative that we stabilize Iraq and quickly reduce our armed role there.
War is the ultimate reality-based horror show.
Fortunately, it's still not too late to develop a comprehensive global strategy to eliminate our real enemy.
The old saying that war is a racket has taken on an even more shameful meaning.