Why does al Qaeda (translated “the base’) want to destroy us, and why can’t we find its leaders?

They hate us for a number of reasons.

First and most compelling is that, to Muslims, those of us who aren’t subscribers to Islamic beliefs and laws are considered infidels to al Qaeda. Infidels are worthy only of death unless we convert to Islam.

Second, rewind to 1948. Israel is reborn in Palestine. The U.S. quickly backs the infant state and feeds it a steady supply of war materiel. Palestinians are displaced and refugee camps built.

A series of wars, launched by Israel’s irate neighbors, soon follow. But Israel wins each conflict, decisively and quickly, and seizes more territory.

Islamic terrorist groups sprout from the poverty and pestilence of the refugee camps. Suicide bombers are sent into Israel. Innocent civilian Israelis die by the score. Israel responds, but fire only at military sites and terrorists in cars. Inevitably innocent Muslims are killed by the rockets we made. So, we become complicit.

Third, democracy in Iraq. To Al Qaeda, democracies bring with them a Western taint and mores, many of which violate their obsessive interpretations of Islamic laws and traditions.

Fourth is Wahibism. This hateful teaching narcotizes a loathing of the West in the fertile minds of Muslim school children. It guarantees al Qaeda of future generations of dedicated terrorists.

Where Are They Being Protected and by Whom?

While the War on terror has largely crippled much of al Qaeda’s leadership, we still don’t have the big planners in custody. U.S. intelligence thinks the leadership is given sanctuary in Peshawar province in Pakistan with President Pervez Musharraf’s secret wink-and-nod blessing.

The Pentagon has planned scenarios to capture what’s left of al Qaeda’s brain trust, but there’s no getting into Pakistan because Musharraf won’t allow it. That puts him between a rocket and a tank.

If he doesn’t help us ferret out the terrorists, he risks the loss of substantial U.S. financial support. And his troops may wind up face-to-face with our Special Forces who are ordered over the border despite Musharraf’s objections.

On the other hand, if he okays our crossing the border, he risks facing more assassins, each powered by the growing outrage against him in the Islamic world.

For us, Musharraf’s headaches are our migraines. President Bush’s first War-on-Terror speech made it very clear that “any nation” harboring terrorists was as culpable as the terrorists they protected. It was easy and timely bravado then, but our shaky relationship with Pakistan is a good example of why politicians should avoid creating policy based on absolutes.

Musharraf did help us in the beginning and was well compensated, but a few assassination attempts have him frantically tacking “NO BIN LADEN HUNTING” signs on every rock along the border with Afghanistan. At the same time, as if to appear cooperative with us, he points to the 90,000 troops he’s ordered into the Northwest provinces to root out terrorists. Trouble is, they’re looking in all the wrong places, and they know it.

In this case, time equals lives. Every hour al Qaeda has to plan costs us more American lives. If we fail to capture bin Laden, his close associates and main planners soon, we’re giving them time to get their hands on nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.

President Bush said his warning applies to “any country,” thus it applies to all countries. We need to think damn the consequences whenever national security is involved. Send in Delta Force now to get bin Laden and his whole entourage or be not surprised by the magnitude of the next attack.