>Chris
>
>>>But it wasn't Bin Laden that flew those planes into the World Trade Center, was it?
>
>Exactly. It was a group of bright, articulate people. Some had tertiary education. Some even went to school in the USA. From your/my perspective you might think they wouldn't be swayed by "great satan" propaganda and would have some time for the good old USA.
>
>Instead they sacrificed their lives to attack you.
>
>We agree this does not make a lot of sense in terms of our own lives and thinking. Assuming we'd like to help stop this sort of event, basic common sense says we need to find out why it made so much sense to people who are just as smart as we are.
>
>This is why I'm trying to say we NEED to engage better. Just saying they are wrong or biased or whatever and closing off, doesn't help at all. It is reminiscent of people driving on whatever side of the road they choose, then when the inevitable happens, righteously denouncing those who made such a mess by driving on the wrong side of the road.
>
>Fact: we all modify our behaviour to get along in this world. It isn't a sign of weakness.
>
>Regards
>
>JR

John;

One thing I did not see from the experience of 9-11 (I greatly dislike that term) is a national evaluation from our federal government as to “WHY” it occurred. How to prevent future actions of this sort seem to be three fold:

1. Realistic security. No lip service or sacred cows.

2. Eliminate terrorists NOW! This must be done with the international community.

3. Work with the nations of the world to strive to improve the human lot while respecting the value systems of others.

I truly believe President Bush lost a great opportunity to enlist the aid of other nations to eliminate terrorism. Rather than do so, which requires diplomacy and cooperation, President Bush elected to dictate, threaten and bully as he saw fit.

When we were kids we had an expression, “Engage brain before opening mouth”! President Bush and his administration have not successfully shown simple skills of diplomacy. Rather they seem to all be reading from the same comic book. It could be a variation of "Mad Magazine", for those that remember that publication.Remember the campaign, “Alfred E. Newman for President”?

Doctor Strangelove comes to mind. Why, we even have a Texan just like in the movie, who will surely sit on the H-bomb as the B-52 drops it and give that Texas yell!

Tom