Terror, Inc.
By Oliver North
May 4, 2007
Page 2 of 2
The Syrian government is also implicated for providing "political and material support to Hizballah and political support to Palestinian terrorist groups." The report contains a litany of offenses, including political assassination in neighboring Lebanon, providing assistance to terrorist organizations that have killed Americans, offering refuge to known terrorists and allowing "foreign fighters and terrorists to transit through its borders into Iraq."
Critics will use this year's Country Reports to "prove" that this upsurge in lethal terror is the consequence U.S. engagement in Iraq and Afghanistan, where slightly more than half of all attacks occurred in 2006. But such a claim ignores the global nature of the radical Islamic assault, and presumes that state sponsors such as Iran and Syria would desist if we simply pulled out.
Those who insist on removing U.S. troops from Iraq should clarify how such a withdrawal will alter the behavior of those who rule in Damascus and Tehran. While they are at it, critics of the current campaign in Mesopotamia should also explain how "disengagement" would have prevented the 9/11 attacks here in the United States.
Rather than using this year's Country Reports on Terrorism as a bludgeon for scoring domestic political points, policy makers should use the data and analysis to develop better tools for thwarting transnational Islamic terror. Despite a dramatic increase in radical Islamic attacks and casualties, the report makes clear that the strength and vulnerability of these terrorist organizations remains the need for state sponsorship.
"De-funding" Islamic terror must become a top priority. As Saudi authorities discovered this week when they prevented what could have been a devastating attack on their oil infrastructure, lip service to cutting off the flow of Wahabbi petrodollars to Sunni terror groups and turning a blind eye to Iranian terrorism is an invitation to catastrophe. The plot was apparently discovered by allied intelligence in Iraq. Good thing for those of us who already feel the pain at the pump.
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Oliver North is the host of "War Stories" on the FOX News Channel.
COPYRIGHT 2007 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC
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Note -- The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, views, and/or philosophy of GOPUSA. >> Back -- Page 1 2
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