Pay me now - or pay me later

I remember a commercial for, I think, Fram air filters. The mechanic tells a motorist to "pay me now," and replace his air filter, or "pay me later" for a major repair. This is the situation the Western democracies were in in 1938. They could have fought a relatively inexpensive war over Czechoslovakia, but they chose appeasement instead and ended up with the most expensive war in human history. We are in the same situation today with regard to the war on terror. Many just do not get it - like it or not, we are at war. If 9/11 didn't wake us up, and if the recently thwarted (barukh Hashem) plot to blow up ten planes in the air didn't wake us up, it is hard to imagine what will. Our enemies don't fight like us and don't think like us. Two of the liquid-bomb plotters were parents who planned to smuggle the bomb components in their infant son's bottle and kill themselves and their six-month-old baby for the greater glory of Allah. We will have to fight this war with the enemy's ruthlessness and determination - and if we shrink from it today we will have to pay much more dearly tomorrow.


Ever since 9/11 the New York Post has been spot-on in its analysis of the epic struggle in which we are engaged, and here is an editorial and a column for thought:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08112006/postopinion/editorial/its_a_war_editorials_.htm

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08162006/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_mideasts_munich_opedcolumnists_arthur_herman.htm