Be civilized – but ruthless, too

THE greatest advantage Islamist fanatics have over us is their strength of will, their determination to win. The terrorists literally will do anything to achieve victory.

We seek the blessing of lawyers, the approval of critics and minimal loss of life. So we’re losing.

The Obama administration celebrates the recapture of a few hick towns in Iraq, while ISIS and its affiliates spread around the world. Contrary to the inane claim by Secretary of State John Kerry, ISIS is not attacking us because it’s desperate, but because it can — because it has an electrifying vision of a changed world, while we placate ourselves with absurd rationalizations and politically correct fantasies.

To begin to turn the tide, we need:

Strong leadership that will do whatever it takes to win.

Ruthlessness equal to that of our enemies.

The recognition that Islamist fanatics must be exterminated wherever we find them. No pipe dreams of persuasion, please.

The acceptance that there is no clean way to make war.

The recognition of collective guilt, as applied to the Germans and Japanese in World War II.

The recognition that civilization cannot be saved solely by civilized means.

Above all, we must embrace the indisputable fact that the greatest immorality is not collateral damage but for our civilization to keep on losing to barbarians.

Islamist terrorists have created a cult of blood. We should drown them in it.