Brian Greenspun says Syria’s phone needs to be ringing with world leaders urging control of terrorists

Sunday, July 23, 2006 | 7:41 a.m.

On 9/11, the United States learned what it was like to be Israel.

It was a terrible, devastating, gut-wrenching feeling of helplessness, rage, anger and bewilderment. The Israelis have lived that way for almost 60 years. America has only been at this for about five years, but learned enough by now to know what we don't like and cannot abide.

It appears that the rest of the world may finally be catching on to what Israel and the United States already knows. Terrorists cannot be talked to, cannot be reckoned with and cannot be transformed into peace-loving people. They have to be shown the way by other means.

There have been three independent and disparate signs that I have noticed over the past few days that confirm my belief that the world has changed forever in its outlook toward terrorist organizations and the people who give them aid and comfort. That doesn't mean that all is well, just that we are well on our way toward a different and more responsible attitude about these thugs.

The first came, as it usually does when I talk to my friend John Moran Jr. about such matters, with a one-line response to a complicated question. John has a way of cutting through the pleasantries and getting to the heart of the matter:

"Hezbollah, Hamas, Iran and Syria are never going to be weaker than they are right now."

There you have it. In one line, John made the case for Israel and the rest of the world defending itself now - by attacking - against those terrorists whose only goal in life is the destruction of Israel and the Western World. His was an implicit recognition of the fact that we will have to make this fight at some point, so it might as well be now. Get it over with and get on with building the kind of world that doesn't include crazed killers and suicide bombers who seem to be flourishing today among those who are supposed to be "civilized." There is a difference between being civilized and being too weak and too scared to do anything about these murderers.

The second, and far more obvious, change in attitude came through the responses of traditional Arab promoters and Israel bashers. Whenever there has been an opportunity for Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan to stand up for their Arab brothers and condemn Israel for something, anything, they each jumped at the chance. No matter what the issue and no matter how wrong they may have been.

So what did those countries do and say when it came time to condemn Israel for defending itself against Hamas and Hezbollah by trying to stop the rocket attacks, kidnappings and other terrorist activities coming from lands Israel no longer "occupied?" Nothing. There was an unusual and welcome silence that spoke volumes.

In fact, just the opposite happened. They condemned Hezbollah! No civilized society trying to move forward in this world can condone such violent acts - even by Arabs - when it means those countries, too, could be the victims of such outrageous behavior. Those three countries know full well the dangers of allowing terrorists to live among them - which they do - and they know that if they don't act soon to rid that cancer from their own lands then they, too, will be the next victims. Better Israel do the heavy lifting, and they stand on the sidelines cheering silently.

By saying nothing, Saudi Arabia, especially, marginalized any other Arab country who might otherwise have spoken out in favor of the terrorists and against a sovereign nation trying to protect its citizens. Even Syria was muted in its responses - for Syria.

And, then, there was the third and most welcome reaction to this murderous affair. It was the least surprising but most helpful response and it came, seemingly, in a way that appeared most innocent.

President George W. Bush, while trying to enjoy his lunch and listen to Britain's Prime Minister Tony Blair chatting over his shoulder, cut to the chase. I speak from memory, which admittedly is faulty, but the president said something like this to his friend the prime minister:

"Why don't you just call Kofi (U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan) and tell him to call the Syrians and have them tell Hezbollah to cut this shit out."

News reports said the president didn't know the microphone, which picked up this conversation, was on. I am not so sure. Either way, President Bush did at least two things. The first was he upset some right-wing Bible folks and others who don't think it is presidential to say a four-letter word. That may be true, but who cares.

The second, and far more important thing that he did, was speak as plainly and as humanly as a person knows how about the state of affairs in this world. In one sentence, President Bush laid the blame four-square in the laps of the Syrians for being Hezbollah's puppet masters and also made it quite clear that the secretary general was barking up the wrong tree. Instead of professing concern about appropriate and proportional military action to save lives, he should be talking to the people who pull the strings of those who fire those rockets into Israel.

On this issue, the president is not the least bit confused and is absolutely right on. Syria - and by extension, Iran - has the ability to stop or start these rocket attacks and any attacks by Hezbollah on Israel. Whether he knew it or not, he spoke the truth to the microphone and, in doing so, made it clear to the world what the United States' reaction was going to be.

He even said he would get right on the issue of a diplomatic response. He said Secretary of State Condi Rice would get over to the region right away. Or next week. Or, however long it may take for Israel to get the job done - the job every rational country in the world knows has to get done - before the diplomats interfere. Our secretary of state leaves for the region this week - almost two weeks after the fighting started.

Obviously, this whole thing is a tragic turn of events. Innocents in Lebanon are being killed, and that is regrettable. But who is more at fault? Israelis, who have done nothing to Lebanon and who are victims of these vicious attacks? Or Lebanese civilians who, willingly or not, allow the murderers to live, work and kill in their midst? At some point, people must take responsibility for the actions of those they allow to live among them.

I hope this latest battle is over very soon and people can get on with the job of rebuilding their country and their lives. But, I hope it is not over one minute sooner than it takes to make it absolutely clear that terrorism is no longer going to be tolerated, no longer going to be accepted and no longer going to be recognized as a legitimate way of life. Not by Israel, not by the United States and not by all those other countries that, for any number of reasons, allowed it to exist.

President Bush said it best. Someone, everyone, needs to call Syria and the others and tell them to cut this shit out.

Or those who want to live in peace will have to cut it out for them.

archive