War on terror: Will the futility never cease?

Another 9/11 memorial has come and gone, No. 17. That's 17 years of war in the Middle East on top of the 10 years of war on terrorism prior to Sept. 11, 2001.

We haven't made much progress fighting terrorism. We've lost 7,000 men and women. We've killed countless terrorists and civilians. We are suffering the loss of 20 veterans a day to suicide. There is no real hope of so-called victory.

It is time to put our energy into bringing this worldwide war on terrorism to an end. It's time to find a way to bring the essential people to the table and bring peace to the Middle East, North Africa, the Philippines and elsewhere.

It's time to work for peace between two great religions whose roots are in the worship of the same God.

But even as I write this letter, I feel that my effort is as futile as our war on terrorism.