The Best Defense

September 1, 2002

by Brian W. Peterson

Traditionally, America has not been an aggressor nation. To properly fight the war against terrorism, that must change. Such a policy sounds ugly. It is anathema to our way of thinking, and it will certainly cause us problems with our allies. The alternative is far worse.

Currently, our nation is deliberating whether to take pre-emptive action against Iraq. Their megalomaniac leader has violated the terms of the 1991 cease-fire agreement, he is rapidly developing nuclear capabilities, and he already has chemical and possibly biological weapons.

Shall we wait to find out the extent of those capabilities?

While pre-emptive action is not anti-American, it is certainly against our customs and our sensibilities regarding the rule of law. We pride ourselves on being a peace-loving people, while possessing the common sense to understand that liberty must be defended - sometimes by waging war. We seek diplomatic means wherever possible, and consider military action only as a last resort.

One year after September 11, 2002, we are embroiled in a new kind of war that has already altered our thinking. Commercial airliners are now viewed as potential weapons. Office buildings and, according to al Qa’eda literature, sporting events, hotels and other public places are “legitimate” targets.

The opponents we fight often do not know each other personally, nor do they train together. We know they will strike again, but we never know exactly when nor on which continent they will attack our people.

President Bush has already altered our thinking by appropriately informing the world that we will treat those who harbor terrorists the same as the terrorists themselves. That has chilled our relations with Saudi Arabia, but it has improved relations with Syria and Sudan - two countries who have assisted our enemies for years.

If America is not prepared to act alone, and refuses to take pre-emptive action, it will take a long time to dismantle global terrorist organizations. If our mindset does not change, this dismantling will only take place after each reoccurrence of horrors similar to that of September 11.

Our national literature is replete with quotes from great Americans who have expressed our desire for peace. These sentiments are accurate. But now we face an enemy who knows no boundaries and no battlefields. Our desire for peace has not lessened, but a shortsighted peace is not peace at all. We can pretend that September 11 was an anomaly, or we can recognize that the loss of 3,000 fellow citizens was just the sixth act in a very long war.

They have struck us before: the World Trade Center bombing in 1993- 6 people killed; the events now simply referred to as Black Hawk Down, where we now know that bin Laden’s thugs played a role- 18 American soldiers killed; the Khobar Towers in 1996, 19 Air Force service members killed; the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Tanzania and Kenya- 231 killed, including 12 Americans; the USS Cole in 2000- 17 US sailors killed; and, of course, September 11.

September 11 was a banner day for the enemy, and there can be no doubt that they are planning more. Do we wait for more, or do we destroy the enemy wherever we find them?

International law runs counter to our need to take pre-emptive action against terror. But our leaders swear to uphold the Constitution, not the United Nations charter or the World Court’s laws. In this war, we cannot simultaneously protect our people and our Constitution and also follow international law. Such a decision should be easy for our leaders.

The pursuit of a policy of first-strike is not the kind of decision that politicians generally like to make. But the failure to do so in this war will mean many more American deaths - thousands more.

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Brian W. Peterson writes a political column for the Antelope Valley Press (circulation approximately 60,000) in Palmdale, California. He is a graduate of Oral Roberts University, where he majored in TV/Film. Brian’s weekly commentary and newspaper columns can be found at www.LifeAndLiberty.com.

Send the author an E mail at Peterson@ConservativeTruth.org.

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