As I’ve stated repeatedly, Ralph Peters is one of my favorite columnists and writers, dating back to my introduction to his fiction in 1993. In his latest column, Mr. Peters looks optimistically at our progress since the atrocity that was the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on America.
The biggest story since 9/11 is that there hasn’t been an other 9/11. According to our hysterical media culture, everything’s always going wrong. The truth is that we’ve gotten the big things right.
On this fifth anniversary of the cold-blooded murder of thousands of Americans by Islamist fanatics, it’s tempting to settle for grand rhetoric honoring our dead and damning our enemies. But the greatest tribute to those lost on that September morning is what we’ve since achieved.
In this vile political season, with those on the left suggesting that our president’s a worse threat to civilization than Islamist terror, the rest of us should just review what’s happened – and what hasn’t[.]
Mr. Peters’ keystone argument is that we haven’t been hit again on our home front by the murderous Islamist bastards. While this is true, I’ll be the first to admit that this is a rather “iffy” point. First, in some of the few plans we’ve known of meant to strike us here, luck has played a role in their prevention. Second, we have been aided by the terrorists’ apparent post-9/11 love for the long ball, as we are still extremely open prey for a great number of assaults of lesser nature throughout our homeland. Third, this whole keystone rides upon a razor’s edge — one mistake and it’s all gone, while all of the other progress may remain valid but then ignored.
Still, Mr. Peters makes and supports his arguments for progress. I’ll turn them into mere bullet points and leave it to y’all to read the whole column for Mr. Peters’ explanations.
- Islamist fanatics have not been able to stage a single additional attack on our homeland.
- Al Qaeda is badly crippled.
- Terrorists no longer operate in freedom.
- Our enemies fear our military again.
- Iraq has become al Qaeda’s Vietnam.
- We’ve achieved new levels of domestic security without compromising civil liberties.
- America is much stronger today than we were five years ago.
Mr. Peters then sums up his five-year-later thoughts quite rationally.
Does that mean everything’s perfect? Of course not. As noted above, some terrorists will manage to hit us again. But if attempt No. 500 succeeds, it doesn’t mean it wasn’t worth stopping the other 499. Yet, after the next attack, we’ll hear no end of trash-talk about how the War on Terror “failed.”
The truth is that we’re winning. Hands down. We just can’t afford to revert to yesteryear’s weakness and indecision.
What should we worry about? Plenty. First, the unscrupulous nature of those in the media who always discover a dark cloud in the brightest silver lining. They’re terror’s cheerleaders. Second, the rabid partisanship infecting our political system – when “getting Bush” is more important than protecting our country, something’s wrong.
A third concern is the Internet’s empowerment of fanatics, conspiracy-theorists and all of the really good haters – on both extremes of the political spectrum. If there’s one thing all responsible citizens, conservative, centrist or liberal, should agree on, it’s that all extremism is un-American.
On a related note, the White House has released its own detailed report of progress over the last five years since that terrible day when radical Islamists succeeded in bringing terror to our shores.
