James A. Leach: “there is nothing more difficult than to provide perspective to events of this week, but it would be self-evident that…”

“there is nothing more difficult than to provide perspective to events of this week, but it would be self-evident that two of the profoundest lessons are that all societies, particularly democracies, are vulnerable to terrorism and that there is a growing breach between elements of the Islamic world and Judeo-Christian values. In this context, it is imperative that those responsible for heinous acts be held accountable at the bar of justice. Likewise, it is critical that any response be fair as well as firm so that an action-reaction cycle is not precipitated. Force is justified against terrorists and their harborers, not Islam or innocents. I stress this point because from an American perspective, terrorism is the enemy. We respect Islam and Islamic nations. The only brief we hold is against parties that manipulate hatred and employ tactics of terror. Civilized values, whether of the East or of the West, are rooted in just behavior and fundamentals of faith. Accordingly, at this traumatic juncture, the U.S. has an obligation to emphasize our identity with those individuals of faith who derive their values from the Koran, as well as the Old and New Testament. The barbarous acts precipitated in New York and Washington are more crimes against civilization and humanity than attacks on the United States as a Nation.”