My Guidelines for Our Anti-Terrorist and Middle East Public Policy Strategy
by Dennis Peacocke
Permit me to begin this very serious overview of guidelines for U.S. policy regarding the inter-related issues of terrorism and Middle East strategic policy. And let me remind you, I am not running for any public office.
Firstly, "democracy" cannot be superimposed on anybody in the name of "freedom" or any other name. Nations that are not currently "democratic" are not so for a reason. What is that reason? Usually it's simple: Self-government in the majority of the nation's people is not yet strong enough to compel a democracy. Freedom and self-government are two sides of the same coin. Self-government and authoritarianism are mutually exclusive. So are Islamic fundamentalism and democracy. Even more absurd is the possibility of "democracy" in a country that does not have transcendent values that trump ethnicity, religious differences, or historically unresolved grievances between people groups. What part of this do we not understand in our current strategy in Iraq?
Secondly, until nations or factions within a nation grant the right of another nation to exist, stop playing "negotiation games." The right to exist is not a point of negotiation except between a fool and an idiot who think they're clever. Which one is which in this historic charade regarding Israel and its neighbors somehow is expected by absurdly naïve people to be restored by "peace negotiations." My plan: Get real, stay real.
Thirdly, let's talk "terrorism." The United States and others have all the technology in the world necessary to deter and intercept major terrorist plots. To deny this or downplay this is nothing more than a "fear game" politicians play for purposes of political power and advantage. The real players on both sides know this. End of charade. So here's the deal:
1) When verifiable intelligence concludes that people inside your nation are plotting to do the United States or its citizens harm, we will present you with sufficient evidence and will ask you to take action to detain and deter those people. We will take action on our side to eliminate them if you do not.
If they or their associates commit acts of terror against us, and we discover tacit complicity on your part, we will "repay" your nation three times over, based upon Old Testament law which Islam accepts as divinely inspired. We will hold you responsible to police your own people. It's that simple. If you want to "play games," we will "play games." Honor for honor, response for response. Our policy is reality based upon performance.
2) We're getting off the "Western civilization guilt trip" by apologizing for what we need to honestly apologize for and leaving it at that. Really. You can get off the "innocent, exploited people trip" or not. Either way, the truth must cut both ways, and both sides are guilty of the usual sins of fallenness, especially because of the games people play in the realm of politics.
So that's it for openers. Details may follow. Mercy, we need some fresh air! And that's . . .
the bottom line.
