dishonour or war?? you chose.

A quick poll so far (but one of) in the States...
What do you think of Israel's targeted killing of the leader of Hamas?
Fantastic! Another one bites the dust 45.78% (2204)
Israel has finally figured out how to deal with terrorism 30.49% (1468)
It was the right thing to do 13.69% (659)
It's unfortunate, but understandable 3.82% (184)
This kind of escalation of violence will go nowhere positive 1.95% (94)
It's murder 1.87% (90)
Other 1.02% (49)
I condemn it, but Israel faces tough choices 0.91% (44)
It's a setback to the peace process 0.39% (19)
I object to collateral damage 0.06% (3)
TOTAL VOTES: 4814

Another one bites the dust

Posted: March 23, 2004
1:00 a.m. Eastern

Prepare for the gnashing of teeth over the death of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, targeted in an Israeli rocket attack yesterday.

Weak-kneed Europeans will condemn Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Misinformed Americans will see it as a provocative action by the Jewish state. And the Arab world will threaten fire-and-brimstone retaliation.

My reaction?

What took so long?

Can I hear the Hallelujah chorus, please?

This is the way terrorism must be fought. It needs to be decapitated. It needs to be discouraged with overwhelming force. It needs to be met with greater terror.

I know this is not politically correct. I know we're all supposed to give lip service to the "peace process." I know it is not considered kosher to encourage Israel to take out its terrorist enemies the way the U.S. takes out its own.

I don't care.

Three cheers for the death of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

Who was Yassin?

He was a terrorist clothed in the garb of a holy man. He repeatedly said the land of Israel is "consecrated for future Muslim generations until Judgment Day." Well, Judgment is here – at least for Yassin.

"The so-called peace path is not peace and it is not a substitute for jihad and resistance," said Yassin. It makes you wonder why his followers are so upset. Yassin got just what he said he wanted – martyrdom. That's what he had sent countless boys, young men and even girls to carry out in suicide attacks on Jews.

Yassin didn't have the blood of Jews alone on his hands. He also ordered the murder of Arabs who he believed had collaborated with Israel in any way. Sometimes all Arabs needed to do to be named as collaborators was practice the Christian faith.

So, good riddance to Yassin.

May Yasser Arafat's day be near.

May the head of the Al-Aqsa Martyr's Brigade be next.

May Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah meet his maker sooner rather than later.

I know I will be roundly condemned by the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the self-proclaimed Arab-American leaders for this position. I don't care.

I say this proudly as an American of Arab ancestry.

America is at war. It's not a war with Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network alone. We are engulfed in a full-scale, global war with Islamist, jihadist terrorism – and all these groups are allied against America, against Christians around the world and against Jews in and outside of Israel.

It's just that simple, and someone needs to say it.

No, I do not say that this war is a global conflict between all Muslims and the West. Clearly, it is not that simple – nor that dire.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, we are battling the terrorists side-by-side with Muslims who want to live in freedom.

And, ultimately, that's what this struggle is about – freedom vs. Islamo-fascism.

Some try to stay on the sidelines – like the new leadership in Spain and the old leadership in France. There are no sidelines in this war. There is no neutral ground.

Like Winston Churchill told Neville Chamberlain after the latter met with Adolph Hitler in an effort to make peace: "You had a choice between war and dishonor and you chose dishonor. And you shall have war."

That's our choice today: War, dishonor or surrender to Islamo-tyranny.

Three cheers for Israel's bold move in the assassination of this bloodthirsty murderer. May it be just the beginning of a brand new "peace process."