To the editor:

Western culture IS morally superior to Islamic culture. Among world leaders, the only one who has had the courage to say this is Italy's Silvio Berlusconi. But if we don't hold this principle as an absolute, there is no way we will fight the war on terrorism in the way that it must be fought. We will go the way of the Roman Empire, which in spite of its technological and organizational superiority, could not in the end summon the moral courage to crush the barbarian hordes who sacked it again and again.

Moral self-doubt leads to appeasement and half-measures, such as requiring the approval of the "international community" before acting and refusing to take a proper military response due to hand-wringing over civilian casualties. This approach will only ensure more American and European deaths. We will not be safe until our leaders realize that it is moral and proper to defend America and Western culture by responding to all terrorist governments with overwhelming force.

Sincerely,

Dana Honeycutt