U.S. Forces Should Finish Off the Taliban

Cal Thomas | Syndicated columnist | Updated: Dec 08, 2001

U.S. Forces Should Finish Off the Taliban

Where do we go from here in Afghanistan? as the Taliban retreat, probably to fight a guerilla war and, by the way, take those Christian missionaries with them, what should be our policy?

First, we should wipe out the Taliban and not let them live to fight another day. That includes tracking down and eliminating Osama bin Laden. Then, we need a government that the people can support in Afghanistan. They have been at war with outsiders and with each other for more than 20 years. Some form of coalition government that will be monitored must be established. The West will need to keep tabs on it, lest things fall apart again.

Second, President Bush's pledge to track down international terrorists wherever they are must be honored. We cannot afford to ever let down our guard again. It is a truism that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. Terrorist cells around the world need to be infiltrated and their leaders annihilated. Otherwise, we can look for the disgruntled fanatics to again do to us what they did on Sept. 11. Our fellow citizens must not have died in vain.

U.S. Forces Should Finish Off the Taliban