In defense of pre-emptive war

Though President Bush seemed widely repudiated by the time he left office, much of what we see these days vindicates his biggest presidential decision: When he ordered the invasion of Iraq and the ouster of Saddam Hussein, he was right.

North Korea just launched a multi-stage, long-range missile in violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions. In response, the UNSC took the decisive and bold action of calling a meeting. As of this publishing, it was unlikely that another resolution would be issued.

These are the "serious consequences" State Secretary Hillary Clinton warned North Korea about.

One day the North Korean government will launch such a missile, and it will be armed with a nuclear warhead. It will target Alaska, Hawaii, or one of our allies in the far east. If we are surprised when this happens, we are fools.

Iran is attempting to build nuclear weapons. The international community says "hey, you stop that! That's not nice!" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad laughs, says Israel is a stinking corpse, and goes back to his weapons manufacturing.

One day the tyrannical and fanatical Iranian government will have a nuclear missile. The only thing preventing that missile being launched at Israel will be our threat of retaliation. That worked with the atheist Soviet Union — is there anybody who thinks it will work with the Islamofascist, 77-virgins-waiting-for-me-after-I-destroy-the-infidel Ahmadinejad?

If we are surprised when that nuclear missile is launched, we are fools.

One might notice the conspicuous absence of one country from this discussion: Iraq. Saddam Hussein is not attempting to build nuclear weapons to use against us and our friends. Neither is the government in Iraq. This is not because he decided he loves peace and wanted to join the free peoples of the world. It's because he's dead. (This is not an accident.)

The crazies in North Korea and the fanatics in the Middle East are attempting to develop weapons of unimaginable danger. The only way to stop them, history has shown us, is to stop them by force. Clinton can threaten her "serious consequences" all she wants — she ought to remember that such tactics did not work for her husband. North Korea will see the world's ridiculous attempt to administer punishment through the U.N., and will only be emboldened.

Barack Obama can be cordial with the terrorist states of southwest Asia. He can send them candy, flowers and chocolate chip cookies. He can talk all he wants, and he can listen until Ahmadinejad is blue in the face. And Ahmadinejad will think he's weak for it, will continue to develop his nuclear weapons, and — as soon as he has them — will attack Israel in astounding and terrible ways.

Teddy Roosevelt suggested walking softly and carrying a big stick. But our leaders today don't get it: That stick only works if the other guy is afraid we might use it.