First of all, global terrorism is when terrorists travel from one country to another for the pure and simple act of inciting terror. The danger has grown in the past few decades with something called "the shrinking planet" syndrome. Humans get around more than we used to, certainly far more than my grandfather did, who got around far more than his grandfather did, but neither of them ever envisioned weekly business sojourns across oceans, but that is what we have today.

Is there a reason that had to be explained to you?

Second, yes, of course our brand of terror is better than theirs. Our brand is curbed to incite tolerance, where theirs is meant to incite nothing but fear of their horrendous abilities -- as well as their unashamed want to show them (and please note my ability to see beyond your own prejudices in the matter of identifying the differences in terror tactics).

And third, does the U.S. Government condone the use of terror tactics?

Of course it does. It’s not something that is released to the press on a general basis, but it's called combat training, and in my earlier years I was a very good instructor of terror tact. Anything that robs an enemy of his will to effectively fight a war is good for us, and if that involves terrorizing him into making mistakes, or demoralizing him to surrender, then so be it. We win.

Now, you might have some other scenario in mind where we could go to war, have few casualties on both sides, and have both sides come out of the event as clear victors, but once you step out of that fantasy world of yours and take a clear, sweeping gaze at the realities that surround you, even within your own little community, I think even you would have to come to the conclusion that there are enough knuts in this world to keep us killing and terrorizing each other for many centuries to come. Unless we face this problem now, it will always be here, and so long as the ability to spread terror exists, the underlying issues that breed that terror can never be corrected. It’s like repairing a road. To do the job right, we sometimes simply have to stop the traffic.

And finally, why the U.S.? What gives us the right to tell other nations what they can and cannot do within their own borders?

The world, and our position in it, gives us both ability and right to correct wrongs. The problem didn’t stay in the home-borders on September 11th, did it? It came here, to the heart of freedom, and told us we were not allowed to conduct business with other nations. That’s what was said that day. Someone aimed terror at us and pulled the trigger. We were wounded, but not fatally. Fatal would be our reply of fear, and a refusal to retaliate, for this would tell the world we hold no responsibility for international businessmen and businesswomen who are attacked and die in our country, on our soil, during our watch.

That might be alright with you (and I can even tolerate such an attitude), but it kind of bothers me.

Ciao,
Dan