Columnist Mike O’Callaghan: It’s now our turn to hunt them

Saturday, Sept. 15, 2001 | 7:37 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

MANY AMERICANS of my generation have recalled where they were and how they felt Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941. Yes, I can remember the anger that was felt by my family, headed by a veteran of World War I. Uncle Allen and his family were at our farm for a chicken and squirrel dinner when the battery radio gave us the news. Their son, Gerry, a submariner, last wrote them a letter from Pearl Harbor.

The attacks killing thousands of fellow Americans last week brought back a mixture of memories of painful experiences of the past. While watching the second hijacked airplane plow into the World Trade Center I had the same feeling experienced when watching television in Taipei more than six years ago. I was on my way to the ROC Army garrison on Quemoy the morning pictures of a destroyed federal center in Oklahoma City flashed across the tube. I felt violated and angry then and felt no sympathy when Tim McVeigh was executed this year.

Only hours following the terrorist activity killing Americans, who should have felt safe in New York City and the Pentagon, Yasser Arafat put on his sad face to express sympathy. At the same time thousands of his Palestinian followers crowded streets in East Jerusalem, Nablus and Ramallah and showed their true feelings. They were cheering and handing out goodies to celebrate the killing of Americans. They were reflecting the feelings Arafat and their other leaders have been teaching them for decades.

These scenes from the Middle East also brought back memories. I was in Tel Aviv and Ramat Gan when Saddam Hussein's scuds were aimed at them. As the missiles came over West Bank towns aimed at Israelis living in cities, the Palestinians stood on top of their houses and cheered.

During the Gulf War, Arafat openly supported the Iraqi butcher. Ten years later he has learned to put on a different face for the tragedies he has created. Long ago, our intelligence people listened in amazement as Arafat preached peace in English and stoked the fires of war in Arabic. Times have changed, but Arafat's hating heart and those of his followers remain the same.

Like so many other past actions, the goodness of America kept us from finishing the Gulf War. A couple of more days would have allowed our troops to finish Hussein's army and had them walking home. Instead they took their weapons, tanks and helicopters back home and used them to butcher more of their countrymen in both northern and southern Iraq. Other Arab nations were whining about so many of Hussein's soldiers being killed and President George Bush stopped the war after only 100 hours.

Over the years, several nations have learned the hard way that they can't defeat the United States in battle. Now our enemies have perfected the art of terrorism and we must show them that tactic also won't work.

We no longer have the luxury of preaching restraint to Israel as she battles internal attacks made against her people by Palestinian terrorists. Our nation must seek out the cells of terrorists that have hurt us or even have the intention to hurt our people. They must feel physical, mental and financial pain and so should the people and countries that give them shelter and aid in any form.

Terrorists and their friends even thinking about hurting Americans should wake up sweating several times a night. A barking dog, rattling window shutters, the wind passing through trees, sounds of distant airplanes and helicopters at any time of the day or night must make the terrorists and those who shelter them nervous. Pressure that causes nightmares must be applied around the world until there is no place for them to hide and plot the death of our people.

We can no longer be the nice guys who turn our cheeks for more punishment because we believe this makes us popular with the international community. The protection of our people must be the primary goal of this nation.