This past Sunday in a column for the NY Daily News, columnist John Goodwin penned an article entitled, "It's WWIII and U.S. is out of ideas."  While I don't disagree with Mr. Goodwin with respect to whether the U.S. is out of ideas (we might very well be), I vehemently disagree with him about U.S. entering into WW III.  Unfortunately I can't take credit for that idea, as former CIA Director Adm. James Woolsey in 2002, and Norman Podhoretz in a Commentary article in 2004 have already suggested that it's WW IV were in, not WW III. 
   This is an important distinction, I think for several reasons.  First, it suggests that many of our more enlightened thinkers possibly missed the significance of the cold war.  Indeed it would seem the U.S. has itself perhaps forgotten those lessons.  Just look at how were dealing (or failing to deal) with North Korea and Iran.  Second, it would seem to suggest that a war is a war only if there's shooting or armed conflict. 
   This idea seems akin to the what many in the MSM are saying about W's "cowboy diplomacy."  Many in the MSM are celebrating as the Munchkins dead of the death of the wicked witch that W's policy of preemption is gone away. W press dude, Tony Snow says that diplomacy is one form of preemption, I would agree.  The difference in W's use of diplomacy v. those on the left is that W recognizes that diplomacy doesn't always work and has a back up for when it doesn't and he's willing to use force if and when necessary.  Also, W recognizes that it's his job, it's the job of government to protect the citizens of the U.S.  Those on the left fail to see that.
   Third and perhaps more importantly is the fact that those who subscribe to the WW III theory seem to have forgotten all the lessons learned during the cold war.  Appeasement and negotiation does not work, never has, never will.  Another lesson is that the U.S. must take care of itself and it's citizens for no one else will.  Mr. Goodwin in his article, quoting Harvard professor Joseph Nye suggests that the ideas of "reducing Washington's reliance on permanent alliances and international institutions, and expanding the traditional right of preemption into a new doctrine of preventive war, "have been repealed."  Mr. Goodwin further suggests that W's idea of democracy (an idea first posited by Sharanksy) brought Hamas into power and "has so far failed to take root in Iraq or anywhere else." I would submit that nothing further could be the case.  W's policy of preemption and preventive war has not been found lacking or even repealed for that matter.  We are alone in the world, and we need to recognize that fact and act accordingly - protecting ourselves and our interests first and foremost.  As for democracy, there are many and various forms of democracy, many of which are in play in the Middle East, and indeed is being played out in Iraq.
   Mr. Goodwin is right when he says that the war against radical Islamisists is a global war, it is a world war, as the most recent bombings in Mumbai, India prove.  World War IV is upon us and we will prevail as we did in world wars I, II and III.  What is more disturbing in my view is the upcoming second American Civil War, but that's another discussion for another time.