Although many fellow Americans agree with my position on the War on Terror, some people are somewhat disturbed by my hard line stance. These are friends, coworkers, and associates who think the United States should seek the more “sensitive war” that John Kerry referred to recently. After all, they point out to me, our traditional allies, France and Germany, are not with us in this endeavor. Russia may have new reason to change its mind in the wake of the Beslan horror, but until now, they did not support our military actions, either.
May I say upfront that those who protest my position are good people, often very dear to me. However, on this subject, I do not believe they could be more wrong.
I don’t believe it is possible for any American truly interested in the future of our country’s safety and our families’ well-being to give the slightest hoot what any other country on the globe has to say about the actions the U.S. takes to defend itself.
We are right to defend ourselves. And it is long past due the time we did exactly that. I would prefer it if American leaders stopped tippy-toeing around the “holy shrines” . Let our forces do their job. Allow them to win! Please, Major Media, spare me the sacred history of the “shrines.” If terrorists with intent to murder are holed up inside a "shrine," loaded with ammo and weapons, firing at American troops, how holy can the joint be? I’d be happy to see that "shrine" reduced to sandbox filler.
Oh, but then you’ll “be like them,” my friends gasp. I don’t think so. We’re not fighting the terrorists because they don’t go to church on Sunday. We’re fighting because they attacked our country and slaughtered thousands of innocent civilians . I’d prefer it if that didn’t happen again, thank you, and I support the full use of force to ensure that objective.
Oh, but “America has been wrong, too,” they chide me. No doubt, we have been. Does that mean I should sit quietly by, trying to “understand where they’re coming from,” and maybe watch my own children be murdered by Islamo-maniacs the next time? No, that's not an acceptable course of action to me, at least not in this lifetime.
“But what about Vietnam?” they ask me. Well, what about it? That was a different war, in a different time, with very different stakes. Unless I had a soldier fighting there, the Viet Cong weren’t coming after my loved ones. In the War on Terror, every American, old or young, civilian or soldier, is the target--merely because we exist.
I never used to discuss politics much. Voting was a matter of conscience, I believed, a personal matter. In fact, when asked, I wouldn’t divulge for whom I had voted. I used to answer that generations of American military had died to ensure my right to a secret ballot, and I was honoring them by staying silent.
That was before 9/11 . Every American was changed by 9/11, some more profoundly than others. For me, it opened my eyes to the dangers and the enemies surrounding us. Ii issued a clear call for each citizen’s proactivity as necessary to help keep our homeland safe.
Ever since that terrible day, I honor our country’s fallen heroes by speaking out against terrorism and in support of President Bush, who has proved himself worthy of leading the fight against its evil forces.
I take a hard stand in support of America’s defense, and I don’t waste a thought on which foreigners may object. As for fellow Americans, especially those close to me, I don’t mind if they are upset by my opinions. I much prefer that people I care about be slightly annoyed rather than totally annihilated.
