FACING THE REALITIES:
WINNING THE WAR ON TERROR

Take a good look at a map of the Middle East. Where is Iraq located? Exactly, squarely in the center of some of the most repressive tyrannical regimes, and most loyal supporters of terrorism—card-carrying members, in fact—of any region on earth. Study the faces of the enemies of freedom—Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, al-Qaeda, and others—all nurtured, and in most cases thriving, in this Bermuda Triangle of Terror.

This type of terror is not new, nor is it easily placated or cajoled. As we shall see, the demands of these highly dangerous sects are not acceptable, neither to America, nor to the rest of the world. In other words, capitulation, surrender, and/or pay-offs have never, and will never, work with al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, or Hamas (to name but three such groups. There are dozens more. Terror today is franchised). Certainly appeasement on our part would be the height of naiveté and folly. More accurately, to even take on the appearance of appeasement, is a most reckless and irresponsible path.
           

THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE OF TERROR
IRAQ, SITUATED RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF THE WORLD’S STRONGEST SUPPORTERS OF TERRORISM AND TYRANNY.

How long has radical and fundamentalist terrorism, kidnapping, and extortion been going on in this region? In most cases, for decades, certainly long before the United States invaded Saddam’s Iraq. Who, specifically, leads these rogue nations and fascist-terror movements? In too many cases they are brutal despots who use murder and oppression to carry out their domestic and foreign “policy.” These are the rogues and riff-raff who prey on the weak, the innocent, and especially the passive and spineless. Out of these hotbeds of radicalism come al-Qaeda murderers and butchers, the suicide killers who attacked America on September 11th 2001.

Beyond the United States they have terrorized many other lands and peoples, anyone in fact they believe they can intimidate, or anyone who might conceivably get in their way. What they seek is power, embodied in a new-age Islamic “Caliphate,” which is to say a modern Islamic Empire, from “Marrakech to Bangladesh” and beyond; from Europe to Southeast Asia, and eventually to Canada and then the United States. Their goals are not a secret, though the media have fallen down in failing to warn America of their dark schemes and murderous desires.

These modern-day Hashashiin, these Assassins, who kill in the name of religion, understand as well as anyone that if peace and prosperity comes to Iraq, their archaically backwards and oppressive dreams will be just that. Without a doubt, what they fear most is freedom. This potent force for change, this personal liberty, scares religious fundamentalists and tyrant oppressors more than any other single power under heaven. So, they continue to terrorize, not only many Americans, but more importantly (to the terrorists) those Iraqis who want freedom.

From the beginning what we have sought for all peoples is liberty, simple and straight-forward. Only with free and open political and economic systems will the people of the Middle East begin to find broad-based prosperity, security, and self-determination. As we have seen, it won’t be easy. Recall how difficult it was to establish a government and a constitution in our own country more than two hundred years ago. It took us a decade and more. It took us more than a century to eradicate slavery. However, today, if we are successful in Iraq it will be one of the greatest victories for peace and security in the history of mankind.

Certainly Middle East peace and prosperity will not come without sacrifice, without American and Iraqi (and others) blood being shed. Americans have always stood against the storm of tyranny and given far more than their share of blood and treasure. In spite of erroneous world opinion, Americans have done more for world peace and prosperity than any nation in history. Hundreds of thousands of Americans have given all they have, in fact, willingly. We have spent countless billions of dollars defeating the world’s tyrants and mass-murderers. Certainly, in future years, the sacrifice by Americans will continue. That is what Americans have always done.

But unless we understand why Iraqis, and others, are afraid to stand up with us against the terrorist enemy, we will fail in our freedom-quest. For Iraqis are afraid for their very lives, afraid that one day soon America will turn tail and “redeploy,” leaving those who have trusted us, and depended upon us for their lives, but now left to the mercy of the merciless. What a black stain that will be on America’s soul, but just as important, a black day for America’s security, and for the security of our children. Our cowardly retreat will be the deserved, tragic end of American credibility in the world, and will open the floodgates of terror in America’s cities and on America’s shores.

The world’s so-called Muslim moderates—all one billion-plus—right now are watching America closely, to see if we are truly committed. If they sense that we are not—and they are sensing that now—there is no way under heaven they will risk their lives by backing freedom, in Iraq, or in any land. Lack of American resolve fuels tyranny and terror, absolutely, no question. Lack of American resolve gets people killed.

Yes, indeed, America’s future survival is now almost wholly dependent upon our willingness to not only “stay the course in Iraq,” but more so, step up the war against fascism, tyranny, and terror in the Middle East.
Lord help us if we fail.