Reagan and Gorbachev seem to have hit it off well and are currently discussing important matters that may very well change forever the world we live in.

But there is at least one important matter they are proboably not discussing—terrorism.

Americans, for the most part, are naive when it comes to the subject of terrorism.

Many Americans still incorrectly view terrorists as soldiers with a cause. When the fact is that a terrorist’s only goal is cause panic and fear and disrupt ‘normal’ life in the west.

It has become increasingly more difficult to single out terrorist groups and you’re barking up the wrong tree if you think that a terrorist group targets only one nation or people as their victim.

For example, a British sailor was murdered in Brazil and the Brazilian Popular Revolutionary Vanguard claimed responsibility stating: “This is an expression of solidarity with the combatants of Ireland and all the world.”

This is only one of hundreds of incidents where one terrorist group has either supported, armed, trained or directed another terrorist group.

Terrorists have created a complex web of underground international connections. A web that can provide a terrorist with everything from weapons and explosives to intelligence, a safe house or even a place to train future terrorists.

Almost every nation in the world is quick to denounce terrorism but very few have made an honest commitment to combat it.

And that is appalling.

The citizens and governments of the west like to think that terrorism can be stopped just like any other crime: arrest, investigate, prosecute and jail.

But terrorism isn’t like any other crime.

aving a terrorist in jail is just an invitation for other terrorists to get him out—by taking hostages and demanding the terrorist’s release.

If you doubt my words, just think back and remember all the hostage situations where the hostage takers demanded that jailed terrorists (they never name just one) be released or they would kill their hostages. The incidents are too numerous to count.

The plain simple fact is that you cannot jail a terrorist.

The only justice a terroist is entitled to is a bullet in the head.

I realize that this statement may seem harsh—especially to all those pacifist eyes out there—but it’s the truth.

The nations of the west have the capability to put a virtual halt to terrorism—but many lack the will.

Instead of fighting terrorism head-on, some try to appease terrorists in the hopes that their country will be left alone. This naive way of thinking has proven time and time again to be not only wrong—but deadly.

In 1982 President Francois Mitterand made the grave mistake of not only releasing 31 convicted terrorists but also announcing that he was going to eliminate the State Security Court, which has jurisdiction over terrorist offenses.

In 1986, Paris was rocked by seven bombs during the course of a week. Even after the bombs stopped exploding Parisians were seeing bombs everywhere and the police had to check out more than 100 bomb reports a day. The terrorists had accomplished their goal—panic, fear and disruption of normal life.

Terrorism is not just limited to far away countries.

In recent years, the Ku Klux Klan has started wearing fatigues instead of sheets and established their own terrorist training camps where they teach even young children the use of weapons and explosives.

A white supremicist group known as “The Brotherhood” has already killed and there is reason to believe that these two groups are currently establishing ties with terrorist groups.

Americans have to wise up and act soon or life as we know it will indeed change.