A Few Thoughts on Terrorism

Many years ago I was taught the definition of terrorism was to disrupt the normal way of life. This could be accomplished by threat, intimidation, overt acts of violence or fear.

By this definition, we have allowed the terrorists to win. That is to say their acts have, without question, disrupted our way of life. Not since Pearl Harbor has there been an attack on American soil, then came September 11, 2001 and our world changed.

The most recent event in New York City's Times Square only serves to reinforce the fact we, our country, our citizens are targets of those whose ideology is based in fantasy. Yes fantasy, the root that forms another word ... fanatic.

Fanatics share certain traits. Among them, the wearing of psychological blinders; they choose to see the world in a narrow focus where nothing matters other than a blind obedience to their cause. And, they refuse to hear anything that challenges their beliefs.

Suicide bombers are not unique to the 21st century. Some 40 years ago many of us remember civilians, including women and children, walking into American military camps in Vietnam and detonating themselves with the aim of killing as many Americans as they could.

Much has been written about the "legal" protections and due diligence afforded to those who wish to do us harm. It has been said so many times: "We are a nation of laws." But, there is also an old adage about fighting fire with fire.

We (our government) know the location of many terrorist training camps. The most famous are those in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Terrorist training camps have also operated in the Netherlands, and in Lebanon and Syria, as well as, several African countries.

While there have been attacks on some of these, many are simply observed. Graduates of these camps are more than willing to come and have come to the United States with the intent to cause death and destruction here.

There have been times in the past when I did something then informed my superior. When I was questioned why didn't I advise him or solicit his opinion prior to my actions I would simply respond: "It's easier to ask  for forgiveness than permission."

Perhaps, we should adopt this attitude and strike the terrorist training camps when our intelligence operatives confirm that is what they are. It would certainly send a message we're not going to wait until an arrest is made and we can track evidence to that location. Let's just eradicate that location and eliminate that particular threat. Then we can ask for forgiveness of the particular nation involved.

The fanatics enjoy the security of their camps and breathing easy there. If they thought the luxury of breathing might be cut short without the glory of dying for a cause, maybe, just maybe, they might realize they don't want to die from an explosion of an unseen drone's missile.