Regarding the President's intentions of closing Gitmo and doing who-knows-what with the terrorists residing therein who want to destroy our nation...

While I've never had the priviledge of serving in our nation's military, I can only imagine how such a decision will effect those on the front lines, facing our enemies on a daily basis. I can see them involved in operations which bring them into direct contact with the sworn enemies of our nation, and confronting those enemies on an individual basis. I can imagine those enemies throwing up their arms and laying down their weapons when confronted with the business end of an M16 (if that's even what we use these days), knowing that they'll be escorted back to sanitary, comfortable accommodations, given a clean copy of the Koran, and more likely fed better than they’ve eaten in their lives -- then be treated with kid's gloves (interrogation is verboten!), and most likely eventually released from custody right into the heartland of America, where they can freely travel and wreak havoc at will.

I can also imagine what I'd be thinking if I were one of our combat soldiers, confronting a terrorist who has thrown up his arms in surrender, knowing that our new Commander-in-Chief will likely give them a wide-screen TV, access to the internet, a few dozen movie channels, and an opportunity at further education.

"Why bother?!?!"

While I’m sure the new administration will never officially initiate a "take no prisoners" policy, in essence, that’s what they’ll be forcing the men and women of our armed forces to determine in situations when faced with a "surrendered" terrorist.

"If I take this guy back, he’s just going to be released -- and perhaps cause even greater damage to the country I love…"  (And while it was only fiction, I can't help but remember the enemy soldier Captain Miller's squad released in "Saving Private Ryan".)

"Or, I can just not exercise as much caution when entering a terrorist haven, and be a little less restrained on the trigger?!?!"

This is not a good policy for our nation. This is not something advantageous to the best performance of our men and women in the field. Those who serve in combat situations should not have to be considering politics when faced with decisions which effect the lives and deaths of their units (and through their inaction in the field, their loved ones back home).

Unfortunately, those in the new administration seem to care far more about "political correctness" than winning the war. Wars are not won by being "nice". They’re won by defeating your enemy and ending your enemy’s ability to make war on you.