Writes David Holcberg of the Ayn Rand Institute:
At long last, Arafat is dead. Unfortunately, the mass murderer responsible for decades of terrorism died of a health problem, not an act of justice.
But why did Arafat survive to old age? Why didn’t his victims–Palestinians, Israelis and Americans–kill him long ago?
Palestinians, who lived for years in fear under his tyrannical regime, didn’t strike him down, because their desire to exterminate Jews was greater than their desire for freedom. Israelis, who lived for years in fear of Arafat’s terrorist attacks, didn’t kill him, because their desire to satisfy “world opinion” was greater than their desire to live. Americans, who saw their fellow citizens murdered by Arafat’s orders, didn’t touch a hair of Arafat’s, because their desire to appease the “Arab street” and hostile Arab regimes was greater than their desire for justice. Palestinians, Israelis and Americans paid dearly for their cowardice.
Should we draw a lesson? Yes, that freedom, justice and life are worth fighting for–and killing for. Hopefully, Americans will have the moral courage to kill Bin Laden and his associates–and not wait until they too die of disease or old age.