general dempsey, i am going to refer to an article that was in .rmy magazine action weonce we take should prepare for what comes next. deeper involvement is hard to avoid. you also referred to use of force no less than an act of war. we could inadvertently empower extremists or unleash the weapons we seek to control. the fuller quote in your letter , i knowor carl levin that the decision to use force is not one that any of us take slightly. it is no less than an act of war. i tend to agree with you on those assessments. i am sorryerry -- had to leave but i will address this to him -- what we have to do is make we're two people -- make clear to people we are not going to war. that makes it very difficult for us to hear one comment that this is no less than an act of war and the secretary saying, we are not going to war. military actions are always going to have a greater chance of success if we have the backing of the american people which is difficult right now. it is difficult to make that case when you hear these two seemingly diametrically opposed opinions of what we are doing. i will