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Julia Gorin
The America Show
Episode 4
Jesus and Mordy
Watch Video Now
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Conservatives Are From Mars, Liberals Are From San Francisco
by Burt Prelutsky
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America Alone
by Mark Steyn
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The CRO Store
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Normally, I’m proud to say that I’m from Connecticut but not lately. Sen. Joe Lieberman, the state’s most prominent politician, is usually too liberal for my taste. He votes the democratic agenda more than 90% of the time but he is a man of great integrity who is not afraid to disagree with his party on strongly-felt issues. On the one that matters most, he is that rare politician who always puts the security of his country ahead of party politics.

The latter quality cost the three-term senator, who ran as his party’s vice-presidential nominee only six years ago, the Democratic nomination for reelection. Party leaders (I use the term loosely), including Connecticut colleague Chris Dodd, deserted him in favor of a well-heeled, unknown novice from Greenwich named Ned Lamont. Lieberman’s unpardonable offense against his party was to continue to support the war in Iraq that almost every one of them also supported back in the days when it looked like it was going to be easy. He correctly sees Iraq as part of the war on terrorism.

How ironic, then, that shortly after the primary, U.K. authorities broke up an extensive plot by British Muslims to blow up multiple U.S. airliners enroute from Britain to the U.S. Timing is everything and the party of John Kerry, Al Gore, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Hillary Clinton picked a remarkable moment to firmly establish themselves as the anti-war party. With Americans obviously stunned by the details of this narrowly-averted disaster, they will probably not be much in the mood for Democratic criticism of heightened surveillance methods, tighter borders and tough interrogation of suspects.

Coming almost five years after 9/11, the plot serves as a sobering reminder to Americans and Europeans that they continue to serve as random targets for Muslim terrorists. “We are at war with Islamic fascists,” said President George W. Bush shortly after the announcement of the foiled plot. His choice of terms upset some American and European Muslims. Sorry, but this is no time for political correctness. They are right to be upset, but the anger should be directed toward the traitors among them who disgrace a great religion by their implacable hatred of Americans, Europeans, Jews and other infidels and by their willingness to murder innocents in the name of their God.

The terrorists who were in the process of carrying out this plot, like those involved in the 2005 London attacks, were British citizens, leading many to wonder how many other terrorists reside within the large Muslim populations in European countries, especially in Britain, France, the Netherlands and Spain, whose colonial empires once included Muslim lands. Many who have migrated to European cities have not assimilated. Many have not participated in the general prosperity or bothered to learn the culture of their newly-adopted countries. Many are concentrated into virtual ghettos. Unemployment runs high, especially among the youth, generating discontent and too much idle time. Many are repulsed by the permissive culture, the freedom of women and sexual behavior they regard as depraved and decadent. Hatred of most things modern and “western” is preached in local mosques.

Religious fanaticism breeds easily in such an environment. Martyrdom offers an honorable end to a tedious life and a glorious reward in the afterlife. A culture of death emerges, perhaps inspired by al Qaeda but not necessary connected to it or any other terrorist movement. It is self-actuated and operates independently.

How do you deal with such an enemy who is socialized to hate and murder infidels in the name of God, who does not fear death and, indeed, welcomes martyrdom? Here is what you don’t do. You don’t apply Geneva Convention protections to them. You don’t engage in endless discussions over what constitutes rigorous interrogation of captured terrorists and what constitutes degrading or demeaning treatment. You don’t talk about “bringing them to justice”. You don’t waste time trying to figure out what it was you did to make them hate you. You don’t try to “reach out” to them. You never negotiate with them because that dignifies their cause.

Neither do you waste time trying to distinguish between the terrorists in al Qaeda, those in Iraq, in Lebanon or those who are living among us, waiting for their chance to strike. They are all terrorists, regardless of ties. The only qualification for membership is hatred of infidels and a willingness to murder them, and if we don’t stop them first, they will. In such a world, threats and hate speech must be taken seriously. If someone like Iran’s ruling mullah, or someone preaching in a mosque says “Death to Americans and Jews!” we cannot assume that he is only blowing steam.

Unfortunately, many Americans and even more Europeans have remained in a state of denial. After this latest close encounter with disaster, perhaps they’ll come closer to understanding that that we are in fact at war with Islamic fascists who are dedicated to our destruction. The old rules of war which presumed honor and respect for innocent non-combatants no longer apply. The gloves must be taken off if we expect to win. Personal freedoms must sometimes yield to national security and public safety. Maintaining the moral high road alone will not suffice. It’s a new world and as long as terrorists inhabit it, it won’t be a safe one. CRO

copyright 2006 J. F. Kelly, Jr.

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