MAD Again

One of the perceived problems in the War on Terror has been the idea that we can not battle terror militarily because there is no one to respond against after an attack. This idea has mostly been pushed by the "anti-war" Left. The problem is that it is simply untrue. Terrorism and terror groups do not exist in a vacuum; they need the active support of governments to be able to operate. Victor Davis Hanson proposes that these should be the addresses for retaliation.

What to do? The key for the United States - in very quiet and deferential tones, in private, and to the albeit illegitimate leaders of these relevant countries - is to convey the message that if there should be a repeat of 9/11, the United States will hold any countries responsible who are proved to have aided or sheltered any of the guilty. Now what does that overused and near-meaningless phrase "hold responsible" really mean? A repeat of Afghanistan and Iraq in places like Iran or Syria?

We should be clear about a proper response now and inform the appropriate parties exactly of the real damage that they should expect - and it won't be moral fuzziness about guilt over endemic poverty, ancient support for the shah, past Aramco antics, the misery of the Arab Street, and all the other bottled causes and complaints that the Middle East counts on for its accustomed pass from a supposedly neurotic, decadent, and self-loathing West.

Perhaps it would be best to inform hostile countries right now of a (big) list of their assets - military bases, power plants, communications, and assorted infrastructure - that will be taken out in the aftermath of another attack, a detailed sequence of targets that will be activated when the culpable terrorists' bases and support networks are identified and confirmed. We would have to draft a formal declaration of war - as we should have against the Taliban, bin Laden, and Saddam Hussein - against those countries that harbored or even aided the next 9/11-like cell. Both sides should anticipate the consequences should another 3,000 Americans be incinerated at work.

We know which governments support the terrorists. The only thing holding us back is the lack of will to act against them.