Thanks everybody.

First of all, I can't tell you how refreshing it is to read a political discussion here in the Mudcat that is comprised of thoughtful, well reasoned comments rather than name calling and mudslinging. So thank you for that.

The_one_and_only_Dai, I think I understand your point and your humor, but could you please tell me who Alistair Campbell is?

Steve Parks, it seems to be a common misconception that the US hasn't suffered terrorism on its own soil prior to 11 September. In fact, terrorism has been alive and well here, and this nation has suffered greatly from it for many years. It is true that we have not been attacked by an enemy government during wartime with the exception of Pearl Harbor.

The main difference is that we grow a lot of our own terrorists here, so many of the terrorist attacks in the US have been committed by US citizens against US citizens. Several hundred people lost their lives in the bombing of the federal building in Oklahoma city. And there was a previous bombing at the World Trade Center a few years ago with casualties. (That one was not by a US citizen.) And also the bombing at the Olympics in Atlanta.

And there have been many instances of bombings and other kinds of terrorist acts on a much smaller scale, such as the bombings of aborion clinics and things like that. And of course, the tragedies in which kids engage in wholesale slaughter of their fellow students in the schools here. Maybe technically not terrorism, but it sure feels like it.

Many of the terrorist attacks that have been committed by people who are not from the US have happened in our embassies, on one ship last year, and of course, quite a few airplane hijackings that did not end with the destruction of the plane.

Anyway, I hope you'll carry on with this very interesting discussion despite my blatant thread creap. I just felt that was worth saying.