Terrorists target the innocent and they kill by the thousands. Terrorists left their mark of murder on the U.S. by attacking the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Terrorists have also struck in Bali, Jakarta, Casablanca, Bombay, Mombasa, Najaf, Jerusalem, Riyadh, Baghdad, Istanbul, and elsewhere.
As President George W. Bush said on his visit to Britain, the U.S. its friends and allies “will face these threats with open eyes, and we will defeat them”:
“The peace and security of free nations now rests on three pillars. First, international organizations must be equal to the challenges facing our world, from lifting up failing states to opposing proliferation.... It’s not enough to meet the dangers of the world with resolutions. We must meet those dangers with resolve.”
The second pillar of peace and security, says President Bush, is the willingness of free nations to –- as a last resort –- meet “aggression and evil by force”:
“There are principled objections to the use of force in every generation, and I credit the good motives behind these views. Those in authority, however, are not judged only by good motivations. The people have given us the duty to defend them. And that duty sometimes requires the violent restraint of violent men.”
The third pillar, says President Bush, is a commitment to “the global expansion of democracy and the hope and progress it brings”:
“We cannot rely exclusively on military power to assure our long-term security. Lasting peace is gained as justice and democracy advance. In democratic and successful societies, men and women do not swear allegiance to malcontents and murderers. They turn their hearts and labor to building better lives.”
Democratic governments do not shelter terrorists, or attack their neighbors. They honor the aspirations and dignity of their own people. “In our conflict with terror and tyranny,” says President Bush, “we have an unmatched advantage, a power that cannot be resisted, and that is the appeal of freedom to all mankind.”
