When yet another announcement is made of more killing, barbarous acts and fighting in the Middle East, the most tempting solution is to say "let them fight.

Monday, October 16, 2000

When yet another announcement is made of more killing, barbarous acts and fighting in the Middle East, the most tempting solution is to say "let them fight."

After all, the casual observer might say, the Middle East is a world away.

But, unfortunately, in this age of weapons that can destroy an entire country with the push of a button and countries with bands of rebels who would give their lives to destroy anything American, that view just doesn’t work.

Even if Americans wanted to stay out of this conflict, there is no guarantee that the nation’s military bases and embassies overseas would be safe – or that we could keep terrorists from our shores.

This week’s attack on the USS Cole proves that American interests lie in making sure the Middle East is stable and that peace talks continue.

No one wants our soldiers to have to go to war. Hopefully, a diplomatic resolution will come soon and the murder, destruction and death of innocents will stop.

But, if it doesn’t, and American soldiers do have to go overseas, it should be with the understanding that they will be there only as long as absolutely necessary, and that their country will do everything it can to support them, to protect them and to make sure that the nations of the world understand that they are our top priority.

Stopping the violence in the Middle East is a humanitarian mission, in part. Families are being torn apart and hundreds are dying horrible deaths as a result of this squabble.

But that is not the only reason the nation should take a strong stand. The most important motivation should be the American soldiers who died aboard the USS Cole as a result of the unprovoked terrorist attack.

The world should know that the U.S. will not tolerate such viciousness and that violence against Americans will be met with a strong response.

We owe those soldiers and their families that much.