President Bush and the War for the Free World

Decision Brief     No. 05-D 51                                       2005-10-07

(Washington, D.C.): In an extraordinary speech yesterday to the National Endowment for Democracy, President Bush clarified in important new ways the nature of the enemy we face – and what is at stake in our war with that enemy. His remarks were laudable both for the clarity and coherence of the message and because they mark further progress by Mr. Bush towards calling this conflict was it is: The War for the Free World.

Naming the Enemy

For the first time, the President described the fundamental ideological underpinning of our global terrorist enemies as “Islamofascism.” He “connected the dots” that have translated into murderous attacks in New York, Washington, Casablanca, Bali, Madrid, London, Netanya and Baghdad as the work not merely of terrorists. Rather, it is murder in the service of an ideology that “seeks the establishment, by terrorism and subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom.”

Mr. Bush then made a critical point:

Some might be tempted to dismiss these goals as fanatical or extreme. Well, they are fanatical and extreme – and they should not be dismissed. Our enemy is utterly committed. As [the Jordanian terrorist Abu Musab al-] Zarqawi has vowed, “We will either achieve victory over the human race or we will pass to the eternal life.” And the civilized world knows very well that other fanatics in history, from Hitler to Stalin to Pol Pot, consumed whole nations in war and genocide before leaving the stage of history. Evil men, obsessed with ambition and unburdened by conscience, must be taken very seriously – and we must stop them before their crimes can multiply.

The Face of Totalitarianism

The President reminded us that, as in the past with the totalitarian ideology known as Communism, we have no choice but to defeat the adherents to Islamofascism lest they destroy this country and the rest of the Free World.

Like the ideology of communism, our new enemy pursues totalitarian aims . Its leaders pretend to be an aggrieved party, representing the powerless against imperial enemies. In truth they have endless ambitions of imperial domination, and they wish to make everyone powerless except themselves. Under their rule, they have banned books, and desecrated historical monuments, and brutalized women. They seek to end dissent in every form, and to control every aspect of life, and to rule the soul, itself. While promising a future of justice and holiness, the terrorists are preparing for a future of oppression and misery.

Appeasement is Not an Option

A particularly vivid passage of the President’s address reminded us that foes motivated by such ideological fervor will not be appeased or dissuaded from their ambitions – either in Iraq or elsewhere.

There’s always a temptation, in the middle of a long struggle, to seek the quiet life, to escape the duties and problems of the world, and to hope the enemy grows weary of fanaticism and tired of murder. This would be a pleasant world, but it’s not the world we live in. The enemy is never tired, never sated, never content with yesterday’s brutality. This enemy considers every retreat of the civilized world as an invitation to greater violence. In Iraq, there is no peace without victory. We will keep our nerve and we will win that victory.

An Ancient Struggle in our Time

The Center for Security Policy has long encouraged President Bush and his administration to explain the war in these terms. He has now moved a great distance from the early days of characterizing the present conflict as simply a “War on Terrorism.” He is absolutely right to describe it instead as “the current expression of an ancient struggle, between those who put their faith in dictators, and those who put their faith in the people.”

Throughout history, tyrants and would-be tyrants have always claimed that murder is justified to serve their grand vision – and they end up alienating decent people across the globe. Tyrants and would-be tyrants have always claimed that regimented societies are strong and pure – until those societies collapse in corruption and decay. Tyrants and would-be tyrants have always claimed that free men and women are weak and decadent – until the day that free men and women defeat them.

We don’t know the course…our own struggle will take – or the sacrifices that might lie ahead. We do know, however, that the defense of freedom is worth our sacrifice. We do know the love of freedom is the mightiest force of history. And we do know the cause of freedom will once again prevail.

The Bottom Line

Now, Mr. President, all that remains is to give this war a name that evokes in a single phrase all these themes – ever reminding all of us about who we are fighting, and why: the War for the Free World.

With the President, we too believe that the murderous ideology of Islamic radicalism is “the great challenge of our new century.” And also like the President we share the belief that our precious values of freedom and democracy are at stake in this struggle. Properly defining our enemy, as the President did today, is a profound service to the men and women of our armed forces as well as to the citizens of the country. And for this, the Center commends the President and his steadfast efforts to confront, head on, our evil terrorist enemy.