I'm quoting retired U.S. Army Col. Ralph Peters from Fox News both last night on O'Reilly and this morning on F&F. It's not going to be popular, but I really don't care. First, in my own words, I will say that we have to stop separating Islam from Islamist terrorists. Yes, I know that there are millions of peaceful Muslims in the world. However, radical Islamists come from Islam, which is not a "god-inspired faith" but something much more sinister.
It is the antithesis of Christianity. It's words are not inspired, there are multiple interpretations of the Qur'an, and we have no way of knowing what a "proper translation" of the "prophet" whose life included assassinations, rape, and child molestation. Some "prophet." Let the peaceful celebrants of Islam remain peaceful, but let the radical terrorists die in the tracks. They are like "The Terminator." They don't stop unless you kill them. So be it.
Now, as to what Col. Peters said regarding how to fight Islamist terrorists.
1. We need to realize we are at war. It is not a limited war, an insurgency, a regional flare-up. It is a world war in which the enemy has but one goal: The total destruction of Western Culture, and it matters not one whit whether you favor "tolerance" of them or not. When they confront you with "Convert or die!" you will do one or the other, on the spot.
2. Call the enemy what they are: Islamist terrorists. Not "extremists," not "radicals," not just "terrorists." They are Islamist terrorists. Period.
3. Get the lawyers off the battlefield and out of the target zone. "Rules of engagement" in this war are useless. The enemy, Islamist terrorists, have no such compunctions. They kill indiscriminately. We have to respond in kind.
4. Accept that there will be collateral damage and do not apologize for it. I don't care if that sounds harsh. War is harsh. Islamist terrorists don't care about collateral damage, and "not sinking to their level" is no excuse for losing to them, and we are losing to them.
5. Don't fight for dirt. We aren't trying to fight World War II. We are trying to eradicate evil, and we must be prepared to go wherever that evil rears it's ugly head.
6. When you find them, you kill them, with extreme prejudice, and you leave smoking ruins and weeping widows behind.
7. If their brothers, sons, daughters reconstitute in three, five, or ten years, you go back and you kill them, too.
8. NEVER, EVER, send combat troops anywhere you do not intend to win!
Like I said, it's going to be unpopular, it's going to draw a lot of ire toward me. As a 20-year U.S. Army helicopter pilot and combat officer, I really don't care. I'm tired of wishy-washy politicians too cowardly to do what must be done.