At lunch Monday with a small group of columnists, Secretary of Defense
Donald Rumsfeld handed us a speech he'd delivered in 1984 on the occasion of
his receiving the George Catlett Marshall Medal.
It was Oct. 17, three weeks before a critical election that would give
Ronald Reagan an overwhelming electoral victory. It was also a time when
voices in the media and Democratic Party were calling for the United States
not to introduce Pershing II missiles into Western Europe to counter
missiles the Soviet Union had placed in Eastern Europe. The left wanted an
accommodation with Soviet dictator Konstantin Chernenko. Reagan believed in
victory over communism, and the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the
liberation of the Soviet bloc nations is testimony to his sound judgment.
Even before those exciting events, Rumsfeld saw another threat coming in as
the tide of Soviet communism rolled out. He spoke of terrorism. Remember,
this was 1984, 17 years before 9/11 at a time when most of the world thought
terrorism was an isolated phenomenon confined mainly to Israel.
"Terrorism is growing," Rumsfeld said then. "In the 30 days ending last
week, it is estimated that there were 37 terrorist attacks, by 13 different
organizations, against the property or citizens of 20 different countries."
Even then, Rumsfeld noted terrorism is "state-sponsored, by nations using it
as a central element of their foreign policy terrorism has a home."
He said terrorism works because even a single attack by a small and weak
nation can influence public opinion and lower morale and can "alter the
behavior of great nations." Isn't that precisely what is happening now? As
the terrorists watch the American electorate grow tired and frustrated with
the war against insurgent terrorists in Iraq, do they not think all they
have to do is hold out a little longer and America will sign anything and do
anything to preserve the lives of its people? Why should they believe
anything else?
Using a justification for fighting terrorism that would resurface in the
current war, Rumsfeld said, "Terrorism is a form of warfare and must be
treated as such weakness invites aggression. Simply standing in a
defensive position, absorbing blows, is not enough. Terrorism must be
deterred."