There's Nothing Wrong With Shooting - As Long As The Right People Get Shot (Terrorism)

Name: blackjane

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Product:	Terrorism
Date:	04/10/01 (41 review reads)
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It's simplistic, I know, but Clint Eastwood couldn't have said it better in his memorable line from the 1973 movie 'Magnum Force.' OK, the context is different, but as I ponder the words now, they appear to have been given special relevance by the recent escalation of terrorist activity by muslim fundamentalists.

Terrorists are nothing more than maniacal lunatics who do not understand diplomacy and rational discussion. Although many people have been putting their point of view forward recently, stating that diplomacy is the only way forward, the sad reality is that this type of approach can not and will not bear any fruit. Recent history illustrates that the likes of Adolf Hitler, Saddam Hussain and Osama Bin Laden have been intent on achieving their masterplan with no concern for anyone else, and usually at the expense of their own followers as well. The fact that the latest threat has arrived in the form of terrorist attacks, rather than by an invasion, means that it is a very different war that we are fighting on this occasion.

However, despite the strong rhetoric from Washington and London about their stance on the recent attacks, as well as their relatively reserved response to date, I have an unerring feeling that perhaps they have missed the point. It's all very well to say that we are fighting a 'war' on terror, but is the use of the word 'war' truly relevant in this case? By all means let's call it a campaign, a crusade, a conflict perhaps, but not a war. It is the hope of most people that war will not be necessary. Wars, by definition, are bloody affairs with heavy casualties and losses on both sides. World War III could potentially be so much more devastating than the massive losses of foot soldiers in World War I, and the many civilians that died from bomb attacks in World War II. Swift action is required to find, and if necessary eliminate, the ringleaders that have left the world in such a stat
e of uncertainty since September 11th.

It is an undeniable fact that the people behind the recent terrorist attacks simply do not understand civilised methods of democracy. In this country, our closest experiences of terrorism have been the IRA bombing campaigns over the past thirty years. Even though we are now at a stage where some discussion has been possible, this has only had very limited success. A similar story can be seen the World over, with Basque separatists in Northern Spain and the PLO in the Middle East unwilling to give up their weapons in return for a seat around a negotiating table. In Northern Ireland, decommissioning has still not been possible, and we remain in a state of delicate equilibrium that could be shattered at any time, with disastrous results.

It certainly seems to be the case that the perpetrators of the September 11th attacks on America, as well as the evil administrations that now harbour them, need to be brought to task as quickly as possible. There is no chance of a negotiated settlement in this instance, so alternative methods become necessary. This is certainly one instance where killing is justified if it means that the safety of the rest of civilised World can be protected.

Full scale warfare is not an option at present, and the elimination of specific targets is the only way forward. Provided the correct decisions are taken at this stage, hopefully it will not be necessary to take any desperate courses of action. If special services are required to hunt down the perpetrators - dead or alive, then it certainly seems to be justifiable that they should go ahead so that the rest of us can live in safety once again.

{An original Dooyoo opinion
© Blackjane 2001}

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