Imam Rauf and his backers have every legal right to build their extravagant Islamic center within the lethal radius of Ground Zero. But the rest of us have the right to question why they insist on doing so.

It's unworthy of our nation. And nobody calls 'em on it. But we won't get a comprehensive plan to deal with Iraq or for that matter our global struggle with Islamist terrorists.

Ralph Peters (born 1952) is a retired United States Army Lieutenant Colonel and author.