THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 27, 1996 TAG: 9606270016
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 42 lines
American lives have been lost in a terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia. The tragedy is another reminder that leadership exacts a high price in a dangerous world and that vigilance is essential to keep the cost as low as possible.
Our decades of support for Israel have gained us implacable enemies in the Middle East. The Gulf War did nothing to decrease their numbers. Our alliance with the Saudis also counts against us in some quarters.
The Saudi rulers, as custodians of some of Islam's most holy places, are thought by some militants to be far too westernized, insufficiently fanatical as regards Israel and especially suspect for their miltary and economic ties to the United States and U.S. companies.
The blast at an air base near Dhahran isn't the first case of terror aimed at American personnel on Saudi soil. A bombing seven months ago in Riyadh killed five Americans. Four Saudi men were executed for the crime three weeks ago.
It's too early to know whether there's a connection, but no question that Americans in the Middle East - particularly military personnel - might as well have bull's-eyes painted on their backs.
That's not to say we have no business being in such dangerous quarters. As a superpower with global responsibilities and interests to protect, we will continue to find it necessary to ask men and women to serve in hostile environments.
But everything must be done to minimize the danger. The body count makes clear that the military compound at King Abdul Aziz Air Base was insufficiently secure against this sort of attack.
Perfect security is a fantasy. But it ought to be more possible to protect military personnel on secure bases than to guard against another World Trade Tower or Oklahoma City attack. Yet this bombing succeeded in its intention.
The inevitable investigation is needed not to find a scapegoat but to learn lessons. Each such incident must be used to seek ways to better protect our personnel. Because terrorism is not going to go away and neither are we.
We will continue to take sides and protect our vital concerns and that will remain dangerous work. Those who undertake it deserve not just our gratitude and our tears when they fall but the best security arrangements we can devise. by CNB