This is a great thread. Here's what I think. Bush's speech was "politics". It assuaged the anger of many Americans. Once the anger is gone, what's left?

The Muslim community has a responsibility now to differentiate themselves from the fringe zealots.

Rhetoric about "enemies" and "terrorists" is masking the problem. There are poor people who can't afford to buy into the American "Dream" so they affiliate with crazy radical "religious" cults. It happens here in America with our own Comatose Posses and KKK.

Let's get off the anger bandwagon and look at the problem. We collect most of the output of the world's GNP. This should cause some bitterness in other countries.

Whether we call it "Jihad" or "Manifest Destiny" or "Save the world for Democracy" or any other jingoistic exhortations,it's still misplaced anger. We can be aware of the needs of other countries and make some effort to help them. Bombing innocent women and children will only serve the cause of the fanatic.

How about we pay our debt to the UN? How about we help the poor Arab in a repressive regime? How about a process of reeducation so that disenfranchised poor people throughout the world will not feel the necessity to align themselves with violence and terror to have their voices heard? If we are the "greatest country in the world" it seems to me that we have a responsibility to share our greatness with the rest of the world. Bombing the hell out of the Middle East is not the way to do this.

Less Kennebunkport Kowboy talk and more humanitarian aid and action.

I was appalled at the lack of dignity in the "president's" speech. Now, more than ever, we need inspiring words from a statesman leader who doesn't glorify war.

Frank