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Opinion: In the war with terrorism, everyone is a soldier

In a speech at the National Defense University in 2013, President Obama defended his largely covert efforts against Al Qaeda and other extremist groups.
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais / Associated Press)
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To the editor: James Kirchick’s op-ed betrayed a near total lack of nuance and understanding on terrorism. I’m not sure what point the author was trying to make, other than “Islam equals bad” and “Obama equals bad.” (Re “Our new ‘long twilight struggle,’ ” Opinion, June 22)

The author strung together scary buzzwords while alluding to cherry-picked attacks as if to say “Look! Terrorism still happens! Muslims do it!” The author presented no new information.

Yes, terrorism still happens. Modern terrorism has been happening since at least the 1880s, and the tactic is unlikely to fall out of fashion anytime soon, if ever.

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Groups and individuals across all spectrums commit terrorism to achieve their own aims. The only unifying factor is that terrorists are willing to use violence to advance their political goals.

Kirchick’s piece did not aid public discourse in the slightest.

Dan Morgan-Russell, Los Angeles

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To the editor: The long twilight struggle against Islamist radicalism will never be won. The best we can hope for is a stalemate.

Openly moderate Muslims are found only in democratic countries, where they are a minority religion. Many majority Muslim countries follow intolerant Sharia law, allowing little place for democracy.

This is a much tougher war than the Cold War against communism. It is a guerrilla war, where terrorists blend in with good people.

In this war, we are all soldiers.

Phil Beauchamp, Chino Hills

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To the editor: As someone who served with an air defense artillery battalion in South Korea in 1968-69, I am offended that Kirchick, among several other misstatements, feels that The Korean conflict was “decisively won” years ago.

The conflict was concluded with an armistice but, in reality, has continued ever since.

I served there right after the Pueblo was captured. Our compound sixty miles south of the DMZ was attacked by North Korean infiltrators. There have been many hostile incidents at Panmunjom.

These and the current course of events orchestrated by the North Korean government are hardly the result of our having “decisively won” the Korean conflict.

His misstatement is a disservice to those who fought valiantly during the conflict.

Alfred Sils, Woodland Hills

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To the editor: Kirchick hits it out of the park in analyzing the factors in our victory in the Cold War and applying it to the current battle against radical Islam. He correctly identifies Obama’s naive resistance and denial as a major impediment to victory.

Barry F. Chaitin, Newport Beach

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To the editor: This accusation, coming from a cold-war era Reagan-ite, is unabashed religious bigotry, and it is shameful.

The President uses the term “a perversion of Islam,” obviously out of respect, and because denouncing the Islamic religion serves to isolate and alienate our fellow American Muslims, who supply the American-dream narrative that contradicts the claims of our enemies abroad. It also undermines the credibility of our troops stationed in harm’s way, fighting for everyone’s freedom.

It is a monumental strategic blunder to characterize this war as a “long twilight struggle” against Islamic superiority. This is not a fight against Islam, but against violent religious extremism.

We must strongly support our numerous Muslim-country allies throughout the world, to show that America is not on a crusade against Islam, but on the contrary, is tolerant and welcoming.

Arthur D. Wahl, Port Hueneme, Calif.

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To the editor: After denial comes phase two; recognition that there is a problem.

And practice of religion is the problem. Currently it’s Islam, although Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, and Jews have had their recent flare-ups.

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Several centuries ago Christianity was the problem, devastatingly so. We are faced with a phenomenon that will not go away and will take generations to bring under any reasonable control — if that is even possible.

Guns and bombs won’t help. They only make the problem worse.

Only an assault on those things that amplify religious conflict such as poverty, illiteracy, joblessness, lack of just laws, opportunity and dignity will work. That takes time, dedication, money and compromise among the power brokers.

Difficult? Yes. Do we have a choice? Not really — if success is to be hoped for.

Recognize the problem and work to resolve the irritants. Failure to do so will only ensure many more generations of conflict and frustration.

W.R. Frederick, Tarzana

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