My Turn: Global war needs global effort

The so-called “global war on terrorism” is a constant, cruel reminder of just how much the world has changed since 9/11/2001. The terrorist attacks that day were not just on the United States, though clearly we were the primary target. Instead, they were, or should have been, a wake-up call for all nations who reject the Jihad mentality of holy war by Muslim extremists against those they claim are “unbelievers.”

Terrorism as a tool of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims is nothing new, of course. In fact, it is as old as recorded history. What is new, and frightening, is the level of sophistication and lethality of contemporary radical terrorism.

Even scarier is the terrorists’ willingness to use their new tools with utter disregard for the havoc and carnage they inflict on innocent people, including women and children.

How nations respond to this new terrorism will be a defining point for the 21st Century.

There are those who counsel leaders to “kill terrorism with kindness,” whatever that means. There are others who suggest terrorism is primarily a legal and law enforcement problem.

Though perhaps well-intentioned, both these views are woefully inadequate. The first is na??ve, because it doesn’t grasp the essence of the terrorism problem. The second is erroneous, because it won’t even come close to solving the terrorism problem.

What we need is a much greater appreciation of the magnitude of the terrorism problem. The threats posed by terrorism today transcend national borders and civilizations. So far, the United States has taken the lead in battling the war on terrorism, with help from a handful of other nations, most notably, Great Britain. This is necessary, but not sufficient. As other nations, from Indonesia to Spain and France, are now learning the hard way, terrorism is a deadly threat to national security and stability. It cannot be “killed with kindness,” and it cannot be deterred by legal and law enforcement means.

Instead, the global war on terrorism must be fought on a global front, not just by the United States and a few other nations, but by a true coalition of countries. Its unified aims should be twofold: First, to prevent terrorism wherever possible, by dealing with its root causes and conditions, such as poverty, illiteracy and hopelessness, all of which are fertile breeding grounds that opportunistic terrorist leaders can exploit to recruit, indoctrinate, train, and employ even more terrorists. Second, to attack the terrorists wherever our best international intelligence means can find them, to kill, capture and destroy these enemies of peace, security and stability.

This twofold war on terrorism will be neither quick nor easy. It will require all the elements of national and international power appropriate to the task. Mostly, though, it will require national and international will, without which power is useless.

I believe international terrorism is potentially the gravest threat to our nation and to the world since World War II. We won World War II, with unity, will, power, service, sacrifice and perseverance. We and our allies will need all that, in spades, to win the global war on terrorism. As with World War II, the consequences of losing are too terrible to contemplate.

Thomas B. Vaughn is a professor at Motlow College and co-host of the radio show “Viewpoints,” which airs on 91.3 FM.