Not to be outdone, the United States has admitted former Iranian president
Mohammad Khatami for a two-week visit to this country. Khatami even spoke at
the National Cathedral in Washington, ostensibly a Christian facility. This
brought protests from Americans who were taken hostage in 1979 and held for
444 days at the U.S. embassy in Tehran, at the direction of one of Khatami's
predecessors, the late Ayatollah Khomeini. Kevin Hermening, then a Marine
guard at the embassy, told The Washington Post that allowing Khatami to tour
America like some rock star indicates that U.S. officials have "completely
lost their minds" in dealing with Iran. "Every time we agree to Œtalks' it
is seen as another indication of weakness and capitulation," he said.
Hermening sees things more clearly than some American religious leaders and
many at the U.S. State Department.
If we are to effectively wage this war we have to change our way of
thinking. We have thought in the past that people are basically good and any
bad behavior in which they might engage is the result of our failure to give
them what they want. We must also eradicate terrorist breeding grounds in
the United States and Britain, including the closure of facilities that
preach and teach hate and sedition.
This approach doesn't go down well among the handwringers and those who wish
to see "two sides" to every issue. There is no other side to - and no excuse
for - mass murder.
"Remember the Alamo," "Remember the Maine" and "Remember Pearl Harbor" were
rallying cries from past wars. Why do Americans have to be reminded to
remember? We had better not forget 9/11 and the signal it sent. The enemy
won't forget. For him, 9/11 was a continuation in a long war against
America. He thinks he can wait us out. He thinks we're weak and will wilt
before his demands in order to save our lives. He is betting everything he
is right. Is he? Ask me on the 10th anniversary of 9/11.