Why They Fight

In his opinion piece entitled “Why They Fight” Peter Wehner, deputy assistant to the president and director of the White House's Office of Strategic Initiatives presents a clear history of what is at the core of this conflict we currently find ourselves engaged.

He writes rather succinctly that:

The enemy we face is not Islam per se; rather, we face a global network of extremists who are driven by a twisted vision of Islam. These jihadists are certainly a minority within Islam--but they exist, they are dangerous and resolute, in some places they are ascendant, and they need to be confronted and defeated.

A more honest assessment could not be provided, and for those on the left that believe that we can simply negotiate with them and all will be well I leave you with his parting words.

The war against global jihadism will be long, and we will experience success and setbacks along the way. The temptation of the West will be to grow impatient and, in the face of this long struggle, to grow weary. Some will demand a quick victory and, absent that, they will want to withdraw from the battle. But this is a war from which we cannot withdraw. As we saw on September 11th, there are no safe harbors in which to hide. Our enemies have declared war on us, and their hatreds cannot be sated. We will either defeat them, or they will come after us with the unsheathed sword.

All of us would prefer years of repose to years of conflict. But history will not allow it. And so it once again rests with this remarkable republic to do what we have done in the past: our duty.

Our duty indeed…