Understanding our enemies is the subject of this evening's Talking Points memo.
As you may have noticed, we are bringing you a variety of views about the war on terrorism and some of those views are infuriating. At least to me.
I try to be a logical thinker, a problem solver rather than an idealogue who blindly follows a political philosophy. Thus, when I hear foolishness, like Jerry Falwell's comments or Phil Donahue's appeasement of evil, I jump on them. Those men have a right to think whatever they want, and I don't condemn their opinions. I just can't intellectually respect them.
Those Americans who want to understand why the terrorists did what they did are irresponsible and cruel, in my opinion. There are thousands of little kids in America tonight who can't understand why Daddy and Mommy have not come home. They can't understand why their parents were there in the morning on September 11th but gone in the evening.
They can't understand the evil that killed their fathers and mothers. Yet some Americans are demanding that we should understand that evil. This is sympathy for the devil, and this is wrong.
America is not responsible for injustices in other countries. Our foreign policy is designed to keep people from killing each other. We have sent billions to Arab countries and fought a war to protect Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Misguided Americans who sympathize with terrorists are bordering on being traitors, in my opinion. We'll discuss that in detail a bit later on. But there is no question that it's cruel and unusual for any American to put a foreign cause or their own security above the grieving families who lost loved ones in the attack. I mean, how insensitive and selfish is that?
Take a look at this video from Afghanistan where Taliban stooges looted our abandoned embassy. There is no understanding these people. They are ignorant fanatics who blindly follow religious nuts, clerics who believe God wants them to murder innocent human beings.
Do you get that out there in Berkeley, California, and Harvard Square, Massachusetts? Are you taking a good look at these people you so desperately want to understand?
Osama bin Laden and his cut-throat cowards are killers, and the United States government has a responsibility -- call it a jihad -- to eliminate these people and the governments that harbor them period. It is the Bush administration's responsibility to see to it that bin Laden does not kill anybody else.
Phil Donahue and some others want to build coalitions to deal with the problem, and while Talking Points thinks coalitions are swell, our government must do its job and protect us from extremists who would kill us, coalitions or not.
It has nothing to do with diplomacy, negotiation, or understanding. That has to do with justice for all. I don't care how our government accomplishes its mandate, just that it does.
And that's the memo.
Most Ridiculous Item of the Day
Time now for the "Most Ridiculous Item of the Day.
The president of Starbucks has apologized after a Starbucks store near the World Trade Center made rescue workers pay $130 for water to treat victims. Can you believe it?
Warren Smith said it was a misunderstanding. Yeah, sure. And reimbursed the Midwood Ambulance Company in New Jersey for the money.
Of course, this is ridiculous to the Nth degree, and if you have read The O'Reilly Factor book, you know how I feel about Starbucks. There will be no misunderstanding about that feeling in The Factor book.
— You can watch Bill O'Reilly's Talking Points weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET. And send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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