In the wake of 911...
Where I come down on terrorism, and our war against it.
Like anyone would care.
Humans have been fighting with each other pretty much since Cain and
Abel, and I don't see them stopping any time soon. They will fight as
individuals, in small groups, as nation states, or even groups of nations
like NATO or the UN. Why they do this and what causes this behavior is a
fascinating subject to discuss, but not really the issue at hand IMHO.
On September 11, a small group of terrorists culminated what, by any
reckoning, was a planned and organized terrorist attack on the United
States. This attack, clearly successful beyond the wildest dreams of the
terrorist planners, has put a great big spotlight on the rules which
simply must accompany that aforementioned fighting. My opinion, and I
believe that of the vast (99+%) majority of human beings, is that
terrorism of any shape or fashion is not a behavior that can be allowed on
this planet any longer. Physical confrontations and even wars can be
fought with guns and missiles and explosives but it must and can be
without terrorism. Innocent civilians getting harmed and/or killed as
collateral casualties in a military battle is absolutely horrible yet
understandable in a greater good context. However, the planning and
implementation of a battle where the sole object of the attack is the
killing of innocent civilians and instilling terror in a population with
tactics such as suicide bombing missions and bio-chemical attacks must
cease worldwide, and cease right now.
I don't care if you are a Muslim fundamentalist from Iraq, Iran, or
Afghanistan... an Israeli Jew or an Irish Catholic or Protestant... or
even a pro-life Christian American who bombs abortion clinics... if you
plan, advocate, and/or carry out terrorist acts anywhere on this planet,
you are dead meat. Your ass is grass, and the USA is a lawn mower.
I believe it is imperative that the USA take the lead in this battle,
that we solicit all of the worldwide support (in some form of coalition)
we can towards the cause of policing terrorism (a huge but absolutely
necessary task if we are to retain our freedoms). Why is this the job of
the US? Because we are the biggest, smartest, strongest and richest, and
I, for one, want it to stay that way. Further, this can and must be
accomplished within our current constitutional framework, and it is not
necessary that anyone lose any of our basic God given or government
granted freedoms to achieve a victory.
Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network, in particular his probable
successor the Egyptian Dr. Ayman Al Zawahiri, and the Lebanese Imad
Mughniyeh, head of the special overseas operations for Hizbullah are tops
on my list right now, seeing as how they are already indicted and have
confessed to terrorism, but I am sure there are many more out there. If I
were them right now, I'd be scared shitless.
September 25, 2001
Ray Charles - God
Bless America |