Do you remember the famous Cuba scene in
The Godfather II?
Michael Corleone visited Cuba, meeting with Hyman Roth to finalize a casino venture in the island nation. Michael witnessed a rebel exploding a grenade, killing himself and a Cuban captain, rather than being taken alive. Here's the exchange of words between Michael and Hyman discussing the incident:
Michael: A rebel was being arrested by the military police, and rather than be taken alive, he exploded a grenade he had hidden in his jacket. He killed himself and he took a captain of the command with him...it occurred to me the soldiers are paid to fight, the rebels aren't
Roth: What does that tell you?
Michael: They can win.
American troops in Iraq wear body armor, while Iraqi insurgents and foreign jihhadists wear explosive vests... and Americans complain that the armor is not good enough.
How can you defeat an enemy who is willing to take their own lives for their beliefs?
The problem is not with the strength of our troops. We have the best military on the planet without question. The problem is the desire of the American public to support operations in Iraq, especially since we know that they were never a threat to the U.S. Even the most right-wing extremist understands the value of a U.S. soldier's life... and Iraq doesn't justify the loss of life.