Let's get serious about this war
By Roger Hare
A great divide has been building in the world. Social problems pitting left against right have always been with us, but the terror war has added a vicious "edge" to those differences.
It is worth noting what's at stake in this war and how others are trying to "spin" this conflict into a bogus class warfare template.
The "cold war" lasted 45 years. Socialism lost. For those still fighting the last war, this new conflict is another opportunity to highlight the differences between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Problem is, our new adversaries do not seek land or socialism, so liberals are trying to piggy-back their cause onto an enemy that won't cooperate. Jihadists simply want us dead. Fingerpointing won't alter this fact.
What do radical Muslims want? Wealth-sharing? Social justice for individuals? Peaceful co-existence? If liberals only understood their real intent, they would discard their moldy '60s rhetoric and join the rest of us who understand a growing danger.
Al-Qaida is one of many Wahabi groups who have declared "Jihad;" a command to kill "infidels." What is an infidel? Anyone who doesn't believe in Allah. So while leftists are distracted by their political hatred for Bush, homicidal Muslims plan our deaths. Both liberals and conservatives are infidels in Muslim minds; destined to die equally.
I am eternally curious why liberals have collective strokes over Christian intolerance, yet Muslim intolerance is explained away as Republican-provoked. This same mentality ignores Hamas's putrid habit of sending 14-year-olds to slaughter Israeli bus-riders, yet expresses outrage over an evil mastermind's death.
My curiosity is also piqued over Spain's surrender to terror. If Al-Qaida had nothing to do with Iraq, why are they punishing Spain for participating with us? The fact is, these groups will fight us wherever we are, so it's time for the left to wake up and smell the genocide.
Herein lies the difference between us: Europeans can be intimidated, but after 9/11, Americans refuse to be "cowed." This unique attitude has confounded enemies throughout our history. Whether it's Pearl Harbor or 9/11, beyond a certain "break point," we rally against "sneak attacks;" Europeans surrender. Why should we care what they think of us when their history of inherent appeasement is well known? Churchill likened this to "hoping the alligator eats you last."
It is shameful our president gets worse press than Jihadists seeking our complete destruction. Am I being negative? You bet. It's one thing to be for world peace, but when brutal perpetrators of mass murder are ignored, false Marxist hopes are bolstered.
If the image of victims hanging out the 95th floor of the World Trade Center is not enough, perhaps it will take a mushroom cloud over Manhattan for liberals to finally get serious about this war.