Israel is a tiny nation bordered by enemies whose sole objective is to wipe out its very existence by any means available. No negotiations, no peaceful co-existence, simply total elimination of all Israelis. Anything less than this is unacceptable. Sounds pretty familiar as to how radical Islamists feel about us.

Unfortunately, they are not protected by two oceans as we are. They have, however, adapted quite nicely, and we could learn many valuable lessons from them. No. 1 is that we are not fighting individuals who respect the rules of war that were established in past conflicts.

These cowards target innocent civilians, especially women and children, and then hide behind their own women and children after carrying out their attacks. They are not human beings, but rather rabid dogs, and should be treated accordingly. Extermination is the only answer.

The Israelis know this quite clearly. No prisons, no courts, no legal rights, no Johnnie Cochran or William Kunstler vermin to defend them. As President Bush has repeatedly said, "they will be brought to justice," but in the severest fashion.

We haven’t learned this lesson as well as the Israelis have. We must employ more-ruthless tactics. Contrary to what John Kerry, Al Gore and other shameless Americans have said, there is a bottom of the barrel for those terrorists who have the ability to plan, coordinate and carry out attacks against civilians. We have to aggressively seek out this bottom.

I recently read an online Associated Press article about recent Israeli airstrikes that killed eight Palestinian militants (a kind word for terrorist cowards). Six were killed when Israeli missiles were fired into a terrorist training camp in central Gaza.

Then on Saturday, April 8, two members of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, which is described as a violent offshoot of the Fatah Party, were killed and a third seriously wounded when an Israeli missile struck their car in Gaza. These terrorists had earlier fired a rocket toward Israel and were getting into their car when the return-fire missile hit them.

Can you believe that a Palestine Authority spokesman said the airstrikes were a "new escalation" and that the Palestinians would appeal to the United Nations Security Council to pass a resolution condemning the attack?

No innocent civilians killed, only terrorists at a training camp and three terrorists killed after firing a rocket into Israel! What is the problem? I tip my hat to Israel for its resolve and ruthlessness in dealing with these cowardly animals!

Our military is very professional and more than competent to achieve the desired solution. It should be given the clear objective of its mission and be instructed to do everything possible, within reason, to avoid the unnecessary killing of innocent civilians.

Now, let’s talk about these "innocent civilians." Are people really innocent when they allow these animals to hide behind their women and children? Were all the people dancing in the streets and celebrating our 9/11 tragedy really innocent? I think not.

Just as during the Vietnam War, our politicians are trying to play general when they have neither the experience nor competence to do so. A politician’s unworthy goal is to get face time, and the best way to do this is to degrade our brave fighting men and women and second-guess our military professionals. Remember John Kerry saying, "Our troops are terrorizing innocent Iraqi civilians in the middle of the night"?

And yes, you protesting, radical, leftist liberal, you are being disloyal to our troops’ noble efforts by aiding and abetting our enemies. Your actions are strengthening their resolve, no matter how much you soothe your own conscience.

A good friend and person I respect, W.F., sent me the words to "Just Before The Battle Mother," a popular Civil War song. The second verse went like this:

O, I long to see you, mother,

And the loving ones at home,

But I’ll never leave our banner,

Til in honor I can come,

Tell the traitors all around you,

That their cruel words we know,

In every battle kill our soldiers,

By the help they give the foe.

You liberals should be ashamed of yourselves.

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Tom Sears is a professor of accounting at Hartwick College in Oneonta and serves on the Unatego Central School Board of Education. He can be reached at SearsT@hartwick.edu. His column appears every other week.