In the aftermath of these most recent terrorist strikes, it is becoming increasingly important to identify the enemy. This is what President Bush was referring to when he indicated that we were facing a "different kind of enemy." The enemy is no longer a readily identifiable nation or set of leaders within a nation, but has spread like yeast in dough throughout the world. The enemy includes not only obvious groups of individuals, but various wrong ideas that are being exalted as ideals by "friend" and foe alike. Here's my cut at the enemies we face with regard to terrorism.
Enemies who are people:
1) Those that would engage in violence against our country and people, i.e. terrorists.
2) Those that would aid and abet those who would engage in violence against our country and people, i.e. foreign governments, wealthy idealists, family and friends of terrorists.
3) Those that would export weapons and other technologies that can be used to generate violence or support those who propagate violence against our country or people, i.e. businessmen.
4) Those that would make it easier through regulation or lack of enforcement to export weapons and other technologies that can be used to generate violence or support those who propagate violence against our country or people, i.e. business, government, security, and law enforcement agencies.
5) Those that would seek or promote diplomatic agreements for the sake of diplomacy without achieving true security for our people, i.e. various leaders or organizations both internal and external to our country including those in government, business, religion, media, etc.
6) Those that would seek or promote a judicial solution for the sake of political correctness without reasonable expectation of obtaining true justice or future security for our people, i.e. various leaders or organizations both internal and external to our country including those in government, business, religion, media, etc.
7) Those that would seek or promote peace at any cost, i.e. various leaders or organizations both internal and external to our country including those in government, business, religion, media, etc.
8) Those leaders who are not willing to accept the possibility for civilian or military casualties to exact justice on our enemies, i.e. various leaders or organizations both internal and external to our country including those in government, business, religion, media, etc.
9) Those leaders who are not willing to temporarily sacrifice some personal freedoms, rights, conveniences, or sacrifice individual people for the increased security of all, i.e. various leaders or organizations both internal and external to our country including those in government, business, religion, media, etc.
Ideological Enemies:
1) Radical Islam or any other faith or cause that promotes holy war or jihad against the US.
2) There is a judicial solution for every crime.
3) Tolerance is more important than truth.
4) All nations or people groups will play fair if given a chance.
5) All nations or people groups are capable of governing themselves.
6) The US must never occupy a country even though the indigenous people have demonstrated that they cannot govern those within their borders.
7) Innocent people must never be killed by the US military.
8) Nothing more than a measured response can be initiated against our enemies.
9) Preemptive strikes on our enemies are not appropriate.
10) The people have the right to know everything that we are doing militarily at any time.
11) The government cannot sacrifice any individuals or any individual rights for the security of the nation. (This is the scary one and hopefully only temporary)
The freedom we now enjoy hangs in the balance if we are not able to respond appropriately to these enemies. This grand experiment as an open society is going to be severely tested by these events and our response to them. God bless all of our leaders with the wisdom and discernment necessary to deal with the current crisis through thoughtful decisions. The ramifications of their decisions will be felt throughout the remainder of history.
1. The Constitution is less important than my agenda.