Pretty much all of them would be the answer to both your questions. The fact that Israel exists when they are outnumbered 10 to 1, are completely surrounded, and their allies were funded, trained, and equipped, by one of the major superpowers for as long as they have shows some success.
I am amazed that after 2000 plus posts, 3 previous threads on this subject, a thread on 9/11 conspiracy theories, a thread on 7/7 and another thread about the recently prevented terror attack that we haven't solved the Middle East problems yet. Lets say we just give it a rest! Okay I am giving it a rest.
You're right, it doesn't remove my obligation for a moral compass. My moral compass tells me that every terrorist I kill saves the lives of that many more American children. We don't kill "whoever we want", nor would I if I was ordered to. And no it's NOT what a lot of our soldiers are doing in Iraq. The ones that did will, and should be punished severly. However, if having soldiers that kill the enemy makes you squiemish, then I suggest reviewing your position on the existence of a military and vote accordingly. When your view becomes the voting majority, I'll give America about a generation and a half before we go the way of Rome.
Every expert in the field of counter-terror and security agrees: from Michael Scheur to Walid Phares, we are not killing enough of the Islamic Militants to make them take us seriously. You and Apothesis moan about the tragic loss of life and are appalled that I would suggest we're not killing enough; yet our enemies see our unwillingness to do what is so obiviously required as proof of our weakness and a reason to keep fighting because their victory is at hand. Do a quick Google search and read translated copies of their communiques if you don't want to take my word for it.
This explains a lot. I've always thought personal responsibility and self-reliance -essentially the hallmarks of freedom- were far better than dependency on the state and the social slavery that kind of system breeds. But then again, to each his own. If you think living like a sheep was better, by all means find a flock.