Contemporary history

PERSONAL LETTER TO ASNE
Re: Magazine Publisher’s Column 9-01-06--

     The American Society of Newspaper Editors is not doing itself proud by defending newspaper publishers who reveal our nation’s wartime espionage techniques.

     Advance units of the Islamic jihad drew us into this war by a series of provocations heightened by the killing of 3,000 innocent Americans on our soil. Despite the fact that we attacked no one, we are in a war that we cannot “talk” away and we must win it.
     The worst part of the offending news media’s “tell all” attitude is its deleterious effect on troop morale. I cannot imagine that it’s good news for our fighters to know that some newspapers back home, such as The New York Times, are making their role more difficult by describing in detail our government’s efforts to monitor the enemy’s finances and communications. ASNE’s plea--and that of others—aimed at protecting our constitutional rights is well taken and understandable. However, there is a time for everything and the proper time to get all frothed-up over these alleged constitutional “abuses” would be to find that, after the violence perpetrated against us is over, they’re still in effect.

     I have every confidence that our nation’s methods of espionage including warrant-less wiretapping will only be temporary, are necessary and appropriate in this age of sophisticated communications, and pose no threat to our everlasting personal freedom.

     The overriding danger is that if we do not convincingly win the war in Iraq, there is the strong possibility that if Iran develops nuclear weapons, which appears imminent, and the jihadists who think nothing of cutting off people’s heads and randomly blowing up innocent people--even their own--in order to advance their ideology get hold of nuke bombs, our American dream including our revered constitution could be glories of the past.
     We must outsmart our adversaries, not ourselves.
P.