“I don’t want to die.” These were the words of Kim Sun-il, a South Korean citizen working in Iraq. He was blindfolded, bound, and beheaded. His body was thrown from a vehicle west of Baghdad. He was thirty-three. His mother and father wept at the news of his death. The murderers claimed to be the same group who murdered Nicholas Berg. France, Germany, Russia, and others took no action.

Academics, television anchors, and newspaper editorialists have been quick to criticize President Bush’s description of these thugs as “evil”. For them, “evil” connotes some “moral” condemnation which is just not appropriate from a government official. Indeed, one of the most common definitions of “evil” is morally reprehensible. Oddly enough, the Hollywood types, and self-described intellectuals, do not offer any adjectives of their own to describe these ruthless hooded assassins. It is not that they are not familiar with the concept of adjectives. After all, they had no difficulty finding them when the opportunity comes to criticize American wrongdoing.

But, evil goes too far, involves too much moral judgment, and signals too significant a religious connotation when describing those willing to take the lives of innocent civilians in the name of their religion. After all, it would be inappropriate to cast dispersions on a cult that breeds violence, disrespects women, and condones beheading. And, as the murder of Kim Sun-il established, these are animals who do not limit their victims to Americans. The free world is their target. Terror is their tool. Hatred and death is what they understand and spread. And, they are morally reprehensible.

In the law enforcement world, there are criminals who have earned the label “evil.” And, most people understand that the only thing that stands between these evildoers and everyone else is a thin blue line called the police. Sometimes there are those who just want to leave them alone and let them be. They learn that if you do not go after them, they will come after you. Brute force is the only thing that stops them. Cajoling and talking and threats and appeasement only convince them further that everyone else is weak and they are strong.

In the terrorist world, there are thugs who have earned the label “evil”. They should be morally condemned as reprehensible. Most people understand that after September 11, 2001, the only thing that has stood between these evildoers and everyone else has been the resolve of George W. Bush and the power of the United States military and its allies. Sometimes there are those who just want to leave them alone and let them be. But, America learned that if you do not go after them, they come after you. Brute force is the only thing that stops them. Cajoling and talking and threats and appeasement only convince them further that everyone else is weak and they are strong.

Until defeated, the heinous acts of the evil barbarians will continue in the Iraq and the surrounding areas. Defeating them there is the only sure way to avoid fighting them here.