Some perspective from Gary Bauer

"If Necessary, We Will Do It Again"

Do you remember who said the above?

Here's a hint - the date was April 19, 1986. Missiles had just rained down on a residential neighborhood in Bin Ashur, Libya. One of them was aimed at, and hit, the home of Moammar Qadaffi. Notice I said his home. Unfortunately, he was not there but his 15-month-old daughter Hana was killed and two of his sons, age 3 and 4 were wounded. In the surrounding residential neighborhood 37 people were killed, 93 wounded - many, if not most, civilians.

The same international community bashing Israel today bashed the U.S. and Reagan then. The President calmly responded, "Today we did what we had to do, if necessary, we will do it again." Maggie Thatcher in England stood with Reagan that day, as did our friends in Israel. Even the New York Times chimed in with rare common sense. The editorial page said: "For the United States to have failed to act (after concluding that Libya was sponsoring terrorism against America) would have said to the world: 'Go ahead. Shoot. Bomb. Kill. This tiger never bites."

Ronald Reagan sadly suffers from Alzheimer's today. But, we are the ones who seem to have forgotten the truth he taught that day - terrorist thugs can be given no safe haven. If civilians die it is because of the thugs that use them as shields not because free people are defending themselves.

That truth is not only for America, but for Israel too. .............
Gary Bauer
garybauer@mail.cwfpac.com

© Copyright 2002 Joel Orr. Last update: 7/28/02; 3:50:25 PM.