I have stated my position regarding our invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan many times, but it is interesting that someone who knows a lot more about it than i is no agreeing with me.
I don't believe we have ever been 'at war' with thiese nations, only in the sense of a war of attrition.
I am sure any military commander would agree that ideally a nation should only ever embark on a course of armed conflict with a clear stategy, and an end objective in mind which can be realisitcally achieved within an acceptable time-scale.
That is not encompassed by George Bush talking about 'getting the job done' like he was raking leaves on an autumn day.
If we are not subjected to terrorist attacks at the momnent, it is because the terrorists choose not to attack - anyone who seriously believes it is connected with our actions and losses is seriously deluded.
We are where we were - we have achieved little, certainly nothing that justifies the loss of lives on either side of the conflict.
Sooner or later, we must accept that dialogue with our opposers is the only answer - military force has singularly failed - as it was always doomed to do.
If the general is saying that the loss of lives has in any way made us safer, then he is carrying he remit to defend his masters' actions beyond the realms of reality, and I am sure that deep down, he knows that very well.