Though Leo Tolstoy observed that, “A good portion of the evil that afflicts mankind is due to the erroneous belief that life can be made secure by violence,” there is a moral argument for killing terrorists, since the morality of the terrorist includes the killing of one’s self at the expense of the innocent.

On a purely utilitarian basis, one is morally obligated to kill terrorists.

Thus, lives are saved and lost in a manner consistent with the maxim of utilitarianism, which argues that goodness is “the greatest happiness for the greatest number.”

Innocent victims want to live, and fanatical religious terrorists want to die in a way congruent with their misinterpretation of the Koran.

Killing terrorists fulfills the wish of the fanatic and preserves the lives of ordinary people.

We are witnessing the Bronze Rule: “Repay kindness with kindness and evil with justice,” especially for those who use the Iron Rule:

“Do unto others before they do unto you.”

But, on the model of the eternal return, there is also a mild emergence of the Silver Rule:

” Don’t do unto others what you don’t want done to yourself.”

And, who knows? Maybe all the suffering of mankind will one day get us to the Golden Rule: ” Treat others as you would be treated,”

Rather than the gold rule: “Those with the gold make the rules.”

The Koran: “God does not pardon setting up partners to God, but pardons anything else for anyone, by divine will.

And whoever attributes partners to God has invented a serious wrong.

Have you not observed those who commend themselves? God, on the contrary, commends whom God will: and they will not be treated unjustly in the slightest degree.

Look how some invent falsehood about God; and that is sufficient in itself to be an obvious wrong.”

(The Essential Koran, trans. By Thomas Cleary. New York: Harper Collins. 1993)