Reasoning with terrorists

Over at the Times , they have an article discussing what the Islamic terrorists are after and whether or not we can reason with them. Here's the passage that really struck me:

But sorry, old chaps, you are dealing with an enemy that does not want anything specific, and cannot be talked back into reason through anger management or round-table discussions. Or, rather, this enemy does want something specific: to take full control of your lives, dictate every single move you make round the clock and, if you dare resist, he will feel it his divine duty to kill you.

I think that fundamentally this is the point at which the two major camps of opinion regarding terrorists and the war on terror differ. One camp believes that if we, the U.S. and its allies, can appease the terrorists by ceasing to interfer with world politics and just mind our own business, the terrorists will leave us alone. They believe that the terrorists are rational actors who are dedicated to a particular goal. And if that goal, an Islamic state in the Middle East, is met, that they will be happy.

The other camp, of which I am a member, believes reality to be more like that expressed in the article. I believe that the terrorists won't be satisfied until the entire world is converted to Islam. And until that day comes, they will continue to maim, kill, and terrorize innocent civilians. Since I don't support the entire world converting to Islam, the only solution is to fight back.

And I guess that is why I get so annoyed with people who seem to think that the terrorists are justified or have some sort of a valid excuse for their behavior. These are the people who think that at their core, all people are fundamentally good. As a Christian, I know that at our core, we're all fundamentally messed up sinners. And that some of the messed up sinners in the world are out to kill as many other people as they can.

Yes, Viriginia, there is evil in the world. Why can't people see that?

(Original link courtesy of Betsy's Page)