War: n. A concerted effort or campaign to combat or put an end to something considered injurious.

That’s a really interesting definition. But somehow, there seem to be far too many people who have never quite heard of a “war” in that meaning and/or context.

I find it very unfortunate that in this day and age, anyone would question the justification of the current ongoing military operations in Afghanistan. Since I’ve heard just about enough from the anti-war activists, I think it’s time someone gave a little credit where it’s due.

The first thing I’d like to clarify is the fact that I’m not going to spout any ultra-conservative, Charlton Heston-esque rhetoric. In fact, my reasons for being in favor of this military action are the exact opposite of those in our society who have the luxury of possessing the “Nuke ’em back to the Stone Age” ideology. Then again, they are pretty much already in the Stone Age ..

The first thing made clear was that this is certainly not a war against Islam, and I’m confident anyone who takes an unbiased look at this situation would find that assessment to be true. It really boils down to one simple question – for all the complaints and pacifist whining that’s been going around, how many more appealing solutions have been brought forward? All we ever hear from those who say they’re against the military action is a lot of hot air. A recent letter to the Daily put it best, and to paraphrase that writer, it’s a different thing to be passive than to be a pacifist. So until I hear a better solution, unfortunately this violence appears to be the most effective solution.

Now, it’s been pretty obvious that bin Laden is fully devoted to attacking and murdering Americans. Here’s a guy who has openly declared a “holy” war against the United States. In his interview with John Miller of ABC news in 1998, he openly stated that he would make no distinction between civilians and soldiers; indeed that has become pretty clear in the aftermath of Sept. 11. He’s bankrolled terrorist training camps all around the world, and members of the al- Qaida fundamentalist group he leads and finances have been accused (in some cases indicted, or even convicted) of association with previous attacks against U.S. interests, including the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, plots to kill President Clinton and Pope John Paul II, attacks on U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia and Somalia, and the attack on the USS Cole, as well as the bombings on the U.S. embassies in East Africa.

And if you think he’s just protecting his beliefs, maybe you’ll explain what made him decide that the Pope was a viable anti-Islam target. The Sept. 11 perpetrators are believed to have ties to the same group.

If any other country had been in the same situation, they would have reacted viciously and without remorse. But patience and restraint prevailed, and nothing happened. After more than 5,000 people are killed, is it really intelligent to keep trying to gently coax the Taliban to turn him over? Bin Laden has essentially become one of the rulers in Afghanistan, in a regime that he helped to establish. It’s only right and just the Taliban should share in the consequences. We’ve all been made painfully aware of the suffering of the Afghan people, and it’s truly sad. But what is the real consequence of inaction versus the cost of actions in a place where it arguably couldn’t be any worse?

There’s been so much talk about how much the United States has created this hatred. This falsehood exists on several levels. I’ll acknowledge that we’ve made a number of wrong moves in the past, some of which have been quite horrific in their results. But the amount of good Americans have done across the world is completely unrivaled.

Also, if more governments were interested in protecting the common good of their nations, we’d all be a lot better off. I know this from experience of seeing what happens when selfish governments secure their own personal interests (and line their personal pockets), letting bribery and corruption become the order of the day. We all know how much of the world is still fighting that battle. And finally, when did it become wrong for a country to protect its own well- being?

I’ve even heard people say that there has been no proof shown that bin Laden and his cohorts are behind the Sept. 11 events, to which I have the following responses – first, I think we deserve the right to at least arrest bin Laden, given the severity of that event; and second, even if we were to disregard Sept. 11, I’m pretty sure the litany of other offenses (not the least of which was an open declaration of war) have earned him at the very least a fairly lengthy interview with the FBI.

I really hate war, and I look at it as a difficult and horrifying last resort, which should be carried out with the greatest of care, for a just cause, and certainly with the least loss of life, especially among the civilian populace. I’m always in favor of peaceful resolution of conflicts, but there’s a time and place for everything; there’s a time for peace, but this is one of those rare occasions that simply doesn’t fit that profile.

Emeka Anyanwu is a senior in electrical engineering from Ames.