positive action is best defence

From "Daily Telegraph"

March 17, 2004

THE debate over whether Australia is, or is not, more of a target for terrorists as a result of our involvement in the war in Iraq may be significant in the context of present politics – but it ignores a more fundamental and important reality.


No matter how you cut it, the truth is we are a target for terrorists. In the present world war being waged against them – and make no mistake; we are engaged in a world war – the enemy is plotting to attack us.

They revile us for what we are, for what we believe, for what we have. And for what they believe we have done recently and in the distant past. So they are seeking our harm.


One point ought to be borne in mind by those who say our involvement with the Coalition of the willing in Iraq is the primary reason terrorists are targeting us: the terrorists who murdered 88 Australians in Bali in October 2002 played their bloody hand before there was any fighting at all in Iraq.


But winning this debate – even entering into it – misses the point entirely. Rather than waste time on such an irresolvable issue, should we not simply accept the dangerous reality of our present situation, then take positive action to ensure that we have in place every possible defensive strategy against our enemy?


Australian and regional police commissioners are meeting in Sydney this week at a terrorism conference, there to be briefed by US and local counter-terrorism and military experts on the current levels of threat and on the best methods of defence. At the same time Australian special forces are engaged in counter-terrorism exercises in Sydney and elsewhere.


So we have been propelled into action by the threat from our enemy. But it is devoutly to be hoped we expend as much energy on defensive security measures as we appear to be wasting on irrelevant points of argument.


For right now the safety of our cities and citizens rather than the theoretical consequences of past government policy should be our primary concern.

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Cheers,

Fig Jam