This is the first time I've been back to visit the Mudcat since before the September 11th attack. So I hope nobody minds if I respond to the original topic of this thread, and ignore much of the discussion that has followed.

I voted for Gore in the last election, and was disappointed when Bush won (the way he won didn't help). I consoled myself by remembering that some of our greatest Presidents -- including Lincoln and FDR -- were not highly regarded when they took office. But I did not have high hopes for this one.

However, in the last two weeks I believe that the President's performance, including his speech before Congress last week, has been exemplary. He has articulated what happened, why it happened, and what we can and should do about it, with great clarity and vision. No, he has not spelled out every detail of our response to this act, nor should he do so; in warfare, particularly modern warfare, it is unwise to reveal too much about your strategy and tactics to your opponent. But he has said that we will respond with every tool at our disposal, including diplomatic initiatives, financial mechanisms, and military force. He has also made it clear that our response will not consist of, or be limited to, a quick military assault designed to satisfy a momentary hunger for vengeance; rather, it will be a carefully coordinated effort by ourselves and our allies to destroy both the leadership and the foundations of terrorist organizations. While the goal of eliminating terrorism entirely is probably not achievable, we will strive to weaken, disrupt, and destroy as much of the terrorist apparatus as we can. I think this is a worthy objective, and that there is much we can do to make the world a safer and saner place.

Anyone who imagines that we can do this without any engagement of our military forces is naive. American planes dropping loaves of bread on starving Afghanistan is a fine and poetic image, and if that's part of what we do, I certainly don't object; in fact, it is becoming increasingly apparent that providing substantial additional aid to South Asia will be a big part of our plan. Understanding the roots of people's frustrations and anger at the USA is also important, and I believe we must be prepared to reexamine the effects our foreign policy has on other peoples; this reexamination is underway, and I believe that our government understands very well the dangers of focusing on military might while ignoring all of the complexities of the world in which we live. But sympathy and understanding will not be enough to deter terrorists or prevent future tragedies like this one. The United States has been viciously attacked, and thousands of innocent civilians have been killed in the blink of an eye by people who won't even admit or explain their actions. The war has been brought to us, and we must respond vigorously.

I don't fault the President for surrounding himself with capable people; I commend him for it. The alternative would be to stoke his ego and/or enhance his public image by surrounding himself with lesser lights, in the hopes that he would shine brighter by comparison. Similarly, I believe that, whether or not he wrote the speech he delivered to Congress last week, it was his message, and it was clear to me that he was speaking from the heart. In my opinion this was one of the greatest political speeches of our times; the situation called for it, and he rose to the occasion.

Whether we like it or not, the United States is the most powerful nation on earth. We cannot and should not insist that the rest of the world make itself over in our image, and we have erred in the past when we have tried to do just that. But we can and must accept the challenge that has been presented to us, and try to lead our own country and the rest of the world out of the dark place that we now find ourselves in. I pray that we are up to the task, and I am grateful for the intelligent, compassionate, and determined way that our President has tried to show us all how to take the first steps.