It's time to kick some terrorist ass

I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore. In case you weren't aware, a plane was hijacked just the other day. According to news reports, a Yemeni plane carrying U.S. Ambassador Barbara Bodine and 90 others was hijacked by an Iraqi claiming to be a supporter of Saddam Hussein. Thankfully, the event ended without serious incident after the man was subdued.

On Oct. 12, the USS Cole was the victim of a terrorist bombing that left 17 U.S. sailors dead and 39 wounded. Osama bin Laden, Saudi millionaire and terrorist- financier extraordinaire has been linked to the bombing. According to both Russian and American intelligence experts, bin Laden, who lives in Afghanistan, has extended his long arm to 45 different nations. Furthermore, it has been reported that last year bin Laden planned attacks on a U.S. warship in Jordan, American tourists traveling in Jordan and the west coast of the United States.

The west coast. Can you believe that?

As college students, we try to "think globally," or at least we say that we do. We worry about deforestation in South America and the AIDS rate in Congo. We ponder the future of Israel/Palestine and we lament the working conditions of people in Indonesia. Yet, for all the emphasis we put on issues that are thousands of miles distant, the possibility of someone launching a chemical or biological attack in downtown San Francisco isn't a popular topic of discussion. I'm really trying, but I just can't understand this.

Part of it, I'm sure, is good ol' American hubris. We go through our daily lives in Ann Arbor, South Bend, State College or wherever and we just know it can't happen here. That's a Middle-Eastern problem, we say. That's a European problem, we say. That's a big-city problem, we say. Guess, what folks? It's everyone's problem because it will happen - it's only a matter of when.

Another problem when confronting the problem of terrorism is the fact that the questions raised usually involve answers people don't like. It's not always easy on one's conscience when the clear and intelligent solution involves a conscious decision to end the life of another human being. But you have to remember one thing - terrorists are, by definition, fanatics. Osama bin Laden is not a representative of Islam or Saudi Arabia or Saudi Arabians. He's giving them a bad name (in the eyes of many Americans) that they don't deserve.

Taking that into account, the United States must become more pro-active with its counter-terrorism policy. We already have the manpower and equipment in place - we just need to use it.

In case you didn't know, there is a huge difference between counter-terrorism and anti-terrorism. Anti-terrorism involves tightening security and preparing defenses so that a possible target is "terrorist-proof." Counter-terrorism involves actively hunting down and killing the bad guys before they can do their thing. No court of law - just trial by two nine-millimeter slugs through the forehead and judgement in the next world.

Would it surprise you to know that there are currently three units in the United States (two military and one civilian) that specialize in counter-terrorism and five more Special Operations units that are well versed in counter-terrorism, even if it isn't their primary focus? That's right. Your tax dollars are, right now, providing training and equipment for over 4,000 American men whose primary purpose is to hunt down and kill other people at the government's behest. I'm quite certain of this because I used to be in one of these units.

But the problem, quite frankly, is the fact that the administration of the past eight years was very good at passing laws and talking tough (the Omnibus Counter-terrorism Act of 1995 was a good start) but was too limp-dicked to actually use the tools at it's disposal. Thus, cowards like Osama bin Laden and Muammar Qaddafi have been able to provide finances and training camps for international terrorists with relative impunity for almost a decade.

Something that amazes me is the perception other countries around the world have regarding the U.S. Military. The general consensus is that we are well-trained and well-equipped but, at a command level, lack the ruthlessness necessary to be an effective counter-terrorism force. Perhaps that goes back to the whole "fight fair" and "mano a mano" thing, which is anathema to counter-terrorism. You must hit hard, fast, by surprise and with overwhelming force ("violence of action" is the technical term).

George W. Bush has already made some bonehead moves as President, but he has a chance to do something correct here. The counter-terrorism policy needs an overhaul. I don't want to ever again sit in front of the television with tears of rage rolling down my face like I did after the USS Cole disaster.

And, if necessary, I'll volunteer to come out of retirement. I'm sure someone has work for a guy who speaks Arabic and knows his way around an H & K MP5.

- Branden Sanz can be reached via

e-mail at hamrhead@umich.edu.