The Cold War vs The Current Situation

[lukster]

The US faced a different ideology in the Soviet Union from what it faces in fanatical Islam today. If communism could not meet the subsistent needs of the average Ivan it was destined to fail, especially when in opposition to a more productive opponent. It couldn't and did. The US only hastened an inevitable outcome imo.

Those in Islam willing to wage holy war against the west do so for ideological reasons similar to those of the Soviet Union, replace the corrupt and decadent values of the west with a rigid theocracy. Both Islam and Communism are dependent on its individual’s adherence to selfless moral values to succeed. Communism offers little in return for the individuals sacrifice while Islam offers martyrdom and eternal reward.

[Gunslinger]

Originally posted by Thrawn
Which indicates that your information is: 1. Hearsay, 2.  Probably comes from too small of a sample, 3. comes from a bias sample (they self select to give this infomation to US military personal).

This is the reason that companies spend a bajillion dollars a year on scientific polling in order to guide thier decisions.

These are troops that have been to Iraq 2+ times.  This isn't a powerpoint presentation these are real every day joes that wear a  pack on their back and boots on their feet.  Scientific studies aside I preferr to get it from the horses mouth vrs. a "scientific poll".

[Maverick]

Polling has a rather wonderful methodology to it. Just think about it you could prove anything you wanted to using a properly worded poll. It's how you frame the questions and limit the answers that make the conclusion. It's just another example that figures don't lie but those who do the figuring do lie.

The only way to verify the validity of the poll is to have the entore poll available for scrutiny as well as the raw data tabulated from it in addition to the statistical analysis of both the data and the sample of population polled. Limiting the sample, using "loaded" questions, targeting the population to poll and "culling" answers that don't conform to your already determined conclusion are all easy ways to skew the results.

Belive in pollsters as much as you believe in politicians and you'll likely be better off.