Too far?!? We have not yet gone far enough. We have made some misguided policy errors which need to be fixed, but let us not deceive ourselves into believing that we have gone anywhere near far enough in pursuing an enemy that professes to be engaged in an eternal struggle that will not end until we are destroyed.
We might argue that invading Iraq took our attention from the greater war against jihadism. We certainly can argue that we made some misguided policies that have come dangerously close to sacrificing the heart of our culture (a belief in the rule of law and the equality of all) in the pursuit of security. But in no way can we plausibly argue that we have gone too far in the war against terror. The enemy still lurks out there and here at home.
- Has Osama bin Laden renounced his views that America and all of the west are worthy of jihad?
- Do religious leaders still use their positions of authority within our own countries to preach hatred against all "kuffars" and serve as a clearing house for recruits and money for jihad?
- Do the terrorist groups still operate within our borders and use so-called charities to fund their eternal campaigns of murder against all who do not convert to their view of the world?
- Has Hezbollah recanted its call for the elimination of Israel?
- Have these fighters renounced the bombings and attempted bombings of subways and buses in Britain? The trains in Madrid? Los Angeles International Airport? The First World Trade Center Attack? The Second World Trade Center Attack? The East Africa Embassy Bombings? The attempted Mall Attack in Chicago?
This Long War is here for the duration. Dissatisfaction with the strategy, and a belief that we have emphasized the wrong values, should not be confused with the belief that we have gone too far.