In World War II, 70 to 80 million people were killed.  In six years.  The Germans carpet bombed cities in Europe with impunity. Rotterdam, Warsaw, Wesel, Leningrad, London, everyone.   Everywhere.  Military targets were prime but then the Germans thought that killing civilians would sap morale. Anyone that got in the way – men, women, children – died in the rubble.  Japan slaughtered 20 million Chinese.  80% of them were civilians.  In response and retribution, American and British forces narrowed their eyes – and carpet bombed German and Japanese cities with relish.  Tit for tat.  Plus two nuclear devices.  A black horrific whirlwind of destruction and violence.  Brutal.  Vicious.  Effective.  Civilian casualties were the vast majority.  The world swam in blood.   And the allies read about it and rejoiced in it — if it was our enemies who were getting killed.   At the end, Germany and Japan were crushed.  Devastated.  And they capitulated.  Today, Germany and Japan are America’s BFF (or at least GFF’s). 

I read with great sadness about the murder – by ISIL militants – of Samira Salih al-Nuaimi – a young woman lawyer from Mosul.  Samira was at home with her husband and three children when gunmen broke in and hauled her away.  She was brutally tortured and savaged for five days.  And then murdered.  Her crime?  Criticizing the destruction of religious sites by ISIL and questioning aspects of Islam. 

The world has dealt with terror for years.  But not effectively.  And over the last few years terror organizations are well-funded, stronger, spreading and growing.  They are frankly all over.  Cancer.  There are talks of impending attacks in Western Europe.  And America.  When you read about Samira – and the hundreds of thousands (millions?) of innocents like her who have been murdered by this growing army of Islamic jihadists, and when you contemplate their intentions, you have to wonder if a return to the tactical mindset of the Allies in World War II might serve the world more efficiently.  And effectively.