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PEGGY NOONAN

Welcome Back, Duke
From the ashes of Sept. 11 arise the manly virtues.

Friday, October 12, 2001 12:01 a.m. EDT

A few weeks ago I wrote a column called "God Is Back," about how, within a day of the events of Sept. 11, my city was awash in religious imagery--prayer cards, statues of saints. It all culminated, in a way, in the discovery of the steel-girder cross that emerged last week from the wreckage--unbent, unbroken, unmelted, perfectly proportioned and duly blessed by a Catholic friar on the request of the rescue workers, who seemed to see meaning in the cross's existence. So do I.

My son, a teenager, finds this hilarious, as does one of my best friends. They have teased me, to my delight, but I have told them, "Boys, this whole story is about good and evil, about the clash of good and evil." If you are of a certain cast of mind, it is of course meaningful that the face of the Evil One seemed to emerge with a roar from the furnace that was Tower One. You have seen the Associated Press photo, and the photos that followed: the evil face roared out of the building with an ugly howl--and then in a snap of the fingers it lost form and force and disappeared. If you are of a certain cast of mind it is of course meaningful that the cross, which to those of its faith is imperishable, did not disappear. It was not crushed by the millions of tons of concrete that crashed down upon it, did not melt in the furnace. It rose from the rubble, still there, intact.

For the ignorant, the superstitious and me (and maybe you), the face of the Evil One was revealed, and died; for the ignorant, the superstitious and me (and maybe you), the cross survived. This is how God speaks to us. He is saying, "I am." He is saying, "I am here." He is saying, "And the force of all the evil of all the world will not bury me."

I believe this quite literally. But then I am experiencing Sept. 11 not as a political event but as a spiritual event.

And, of course, a cultural one, which gets me to my topic.

It is not only that God is back, but that men are back. A certain style of manliness is once again being honored and celebrated in our country since Sept. 11. You might say it suddenly emerged from the rubble of the past quarter century, and emerged when a certain kind of man came forth to get our great country out of the fix it was in.

I am speaking of masculine men, men who push things and pull things and haul things and build things, men who charge up the stairs in a hundred pounds of gear and tell everyone else where to go to be safe. Men who are welders, who do construction, men who are cops and firemen. They are all of them, one way or another, the men who put the fire out, the men who are digging the rubble out, and the men who will build whatever takes its place.

And their style is back in style. We are experiencing a new respect for their old-fashioned masculinity, a new respect for physical courage, for strength and for the willingness to use both for the good of others.

You didn't have to be a fireman to be one of the manly men of Sept. 11. Those businessmen on flight 93, which was supposed to hit Washington, the businessmen who didn't live by their hands or their backs but who found out what was happening to their country, said goodbye to the people they loved, snapped the cell phone shut and said, "Let's roll." Those were tough men, the ones who forced that plane down in Pennsylvania. They were tough, brave guys.

Let me tell you when I first realized what I'm saying. On Friday, Sept. 14, I went with friends down to the staging area on the West Side Highway where all the trucks filled with guys coming off a 12-hour shift at ground zero would pass by. They were tough, rough men, the grunts of the city--construction workers and electrical workers and cops and emergency medical worker and firemen.
I joined a group that was just standing there as the truck convoys went by. And all we did was cheer. We all wanted to do some kind of volunteer work but there was nothing left to do, so we stood and cheered those who were doing. The trucks would go by and we'd cheer and wave and shout "God bless you!" and "We love you!" We waved flags and signs, clapped and threw kisses, and we meant it: We loved these men. And as the workers would go by--they would wave to us from their trucks and buses, and smile and nod--I realized that a lot of them were men who hadn't been applauded since the day they danced to their song with their bride at the wedding.

And suddenly I looked around me at all of us who were cheering. And saw who we were. Investment bankers! Orthodontists! Magazine editors! In my group, a lawyer, a columnist and a writer. We had been the kings and queens of the city, respected professional in a city that respects its professional class. And this night we were nobody. We were so useless, all we could do was applaud the somebodies, the workers who, unlike us, had not been applauded much in their lives.

And now they were saving our city.

I turned to my friend and said, "I have seen the grunts of New York become kings and queens of the City." I was so moved and, oddly I guess, grateful. Because they'd always been the people who ran the place, who kept it going, they'd just never been given their due. But now--"And the last shall be first"--we were making up for it.

It may seem that I am really talking about class--the professional classes have a new appreciation for the working class men of Lodi, N.J., or Astoria, Queens. But what I'm attempting to talk about is actual manliness, which often seems tied up with class issues, as they say, but isn't always by any means the same thing.
Here's what I'm trying to say: Once about 10 years ago there was a story--you might have read it in your local tabloid, or a supermarket tabloid like the National Enquirer--about an American man and woman who were on their honeymoon in Australia or New Zealand. They were swimming in the ocean, the water chest-high. From nowhere came a shark. The shark went straight for the woman, opened its jaws. Do you know what the man did? He punched the shark in the head. He punched it and punched it again. He did not do brilliant commentary on the shark, he did not share his sensitive feelings about the shark, he did not make wry observations about the shark, he punched the shark in the head. So the shark let go of his wife and went straight for him. And it killed him. The wife survived to tell the story of what her husband had done. He had tried to deck the shark. I told my friends: That's what a wonderful man is, a man who will try to deck the shark.

I don't know what the guy did for a living, but he had a very old-fashioned sense of what it is to be a man, and I think that sense is coming back into style because of who saved us on Sept. 11, and that is very good for our country.

Why? Well, manliness wins wars. Strength and guts plus brains and spirit wins wars. But also, you know what follows manliness? The gentleman. The return of manliness will bring a return of gentlemanliness, for a simple reason: masculine men are almost by definition gentlemen. Example: If you're a woman and you go to a faculty meeting at an Ivy League University you'll have to fight with a male intellectual for a chair, but I assure you that if you go to a Knights of Columbus Hall, the men inside (cops, firemen, insurance agents) will rise to offer you a seat. Because they are manly men, and gentlemen.

It is hard to be a man. I am certain of it; to be a man in this world is not easy. I know you are thinking, But it's not easy to be a woman, and you are so right. But women get to complain and make others feel bad about their plight. Men have to suck it up. Good men suck it up and remain good-natured, constructive and helpful; less-good men become the kind of men who are spoofed on "The Man Show"--babe-watching, dope-smoking nihilists. (Nihilism is not manly, it is the last refuge of sissies.)

 

 

I should discuss how manliness and its brother, gentlemanliness, went out of style. I know, because I was there. In fact, I may have done it. I remember exactly when: It was in the mid-'70s, and I was in my mid-20s, and a big, nice, middle-aged man got up from his seat to help me haul a big piece of luggage into the overhead luggage space on a plane. I was a feminist, and knew our rules and rants. "I can do it myself," I snapped.
It was important that he know women are strong. It was even more important, it turns out, that I know I was a jackass, but I didn't. I embarrassed a nice man who was attempting to help a lady. I wasn't lady enough to let him. I bet he never offered to help a lady again. I bet he became an intellectual, or a writer, and not a good man like a fireman or a businessman who says, "Let's roll."

But perhaps it wasn't just me. I was there in America, as a child, when John Wayne was a hero, and a symbol of American manliness. He was strong, and silent. And I was there in America when they killed John Wayne by a thousand cuts. A lot of people killed him--not only feminists but peaceniks, leftists, intellectuals, others. You could even say it was Woody Allen who did it, through laughter and an endearing admission of his own nervousness and fear. He made nervousness and fearfulness the admired style. He made not being able to deck the shark, but doing the funniest commentary on not decking the shark, seem . . . cool.

But when we killed John Wayne, you know who we were left with. We were left with John Wayne's friendly-antagonist sidekick in the old John Ford movies, Barry Fitzgerald. The small, nervous, gossiping neighborhood commentator Barry Fitzgerald, who wanted to talk about everything and do nothing.

This was not progress. It was not improvement.

I missed John Wayne.

But now I think . . . he's back. I think he returned on Sept. 11. I think he ran up the stairs, threw the kid over his back like a sack of potatoes, came back down and shoveled rubble. I think he's in Afghanistan now, saying, with his slow swagger and simmering silence, "Yer in a whole lotta trouble now, Osama-boy."

I think he's back in style. And none too soon.

Welcome back, Duke.

And once again: Thank you, men of Sept. 11.

Ms. Noonan is a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal. Her new book, "When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan," will be published by Viking Penguin this fall. Her column appears Fridays.

Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 22:18:39 -0400

Subject: [B2K] President Bush at the Burn Unit

Sent to me today by a friend. This is extremely poignant and I had to share this.

From: "George M. Faber"

FULL STORY- The President approached the unit , walking down a long hallway, accompanied by his wife and a cadre of staff (lots of agents!) and our nursing staff. He appeared chatty, engaging, and
expressive. Inside, we were 2 parallel lines of docs , nurses, aides, etc., forming a "U" around the burn unit. Altho' I am not a fan of this administration, I was the first in line (with my camera) on the
outside perimeter, nearest the patients' doors.. He began by working the line on the inside perimeter, with his back to the patients. In fact , he walked past the first room entirely, including the 4 of us at the door to the first patient's room. When he did turn to us to shake our hands and thank us, it became evident as to why he passed us by.

When he turned around towards us, he caught his first glimpse of what the terrorists' carnage had wrought. This was not a building of twisted steel but a fellow human, swathed as a mummy in gauze, only the eyes/lips/fingers and toes visible, unrecognizable except by family(perhaps), and breathing thru a tube connected to a ventilator. In addition, there is the smell of burns, dressings and body fluids.

Before he went into the room, he was visibly shaken. He took that deep breath we all take when we are trying to suppress emotions that are welling up inside. He looked directly at the nurse in the doorway, sighed, and entered the patient's room. I then moved to a new position- at the opposite, left corner, of the"U", on the inner perimeter. He went from room to room, speaking to each family member, giving cheek kisses to some. When he finally turned left towards me, I saw his face again. He was a different man-his walk slower, face more somber, shoulders more stopped, thank you's more deliberate, his hand shakes taking longer. By the time he reached the left corner of the unit, a colleague awaited him, flag in shirt pocket, weeping. This encounter was just as difficult for the President.

Fortunately, a faux pas broke the ice. He turned unexpectedly towards me. A young female resident to my left took a flash picture right in his eyes. The President gave that scowl that only a father can give a
daughter. She immediately apologized, almost dropping the camera, and said, "Oh my God, I've just been spanked by the President"

Following the laughter by all of us, you could see his change. It was a little easier for him, tho' the burden was not entirely gone. When he reached the last room, the patient, fully swathed/intubated,
but wide awake vainly tried to salute. The President snapped a sharp salute and gamely tried speaking to him. By now he had finished seeing the patients and families and he was getting back his stride. When I hollered, "Give 'em Hell, Mr. President", he turned and gave an affirmative nod and smile. Before leaving he posed for a picture with the "A team" (his words), thanked us on behalf of himself and the country, and asked that we participate in National Prayer Day........

To visit these seriously ill burned patients was not easy for the President (nor is it for some of us health care workers). I do notbelieve that he or his staff anticipated the full magnitude of those visuals. But he did not need to be there, nor do this. This was not a photo-op. There was no press pool. The country was unaware of the particulars.

This was personal , genuine, and it was heartfelt. A President walked into our burn unit today. A man with awesome powers at his disposal left- now keenly aware of the human toll and suffering of this "despicable act" ; humbled and mindful of our patients and families courage and strength, as he begins to test his.

http://www.danielpipes.org/articles/article.php?id=85
Victory Shifts the Muslim World
New York Post
November 19, 2001
Early on Nov. 9, the Taliban regime ruled almost 95 percent of Afghanistan. Ten days later, it controlled just 15 percent of the country. Key to this quick disintegration was the fact that, awed by American air power, many Taliban soldiers switched sides to the U.S.-backed Northern Alliance.

According to one analyst, "Defections, even in mid-battle, are proving key to the rapid collapse across Afghanistan of the formerly ruling Taliban militia."

This development fits into a larger pattern; thanks to American muscle, Afghans now look at militant Islam as a losing proposition. Nor are they alone; Muslims around the world sense the same shift.

If militant Islam achieved its greatest victory ever on Sept. 11, by Nov. 9 (when the Taliban lost their first major city) the demise of this murderous movement may have begun.

"Pakistani holy warriors are deserting Taliban ranks and streaming home in large numbers," reported The Associated Press on Friday. In the streets of Peshawar, we learn, "portraits of Osama bin Laden go unsold. Here where it counts, just across the Khyber Pass from the heartland of Afghanistan, the Taliban mystique is waning."

Just a few weeks ago, large crowds of militant Islamic men filled Peshawar's narrow streets, especially on Fridays, listening to vitriolic attacks on the United States and Israel, burning effigies of President Bush, and perhaps clashing with the riot police. This last Friday, however, things went very differently in Peshawar.

Much smaller and quieter crowds heard more sober speeches. No effigy was set on fire and one observer described the few policemen as looking like "a bunch of old friends on an afternoon stroll."

The Arabic-speaking countries show a similar trend. Martin Indyk, former U.S. ambassador to Israel, notes that in the first week after the U.S. airstrikes began on Oct. 7, nine anti-American demonstrations took place. The second week saw three of them, the third week one, the fourth week, two. "Then - nothing," observes Indyk. "The Arab street is quiet."

And so too in the further reaches of the Muslim world - Indonesia, India, Nigeria - where the supercharged protests of September are distant memories.

American military success has also encouraged the authorities to crack down. In China, the government prohibited the selling of badges celebrating Osama bin Laden ("I am bin Laden. Who should I fear?") only after the U.S. victories began.

Similarly, the effective ruler of Saudi Arabia admonished religious leaders to be careful and responsible in their statements ("weigh each word before saying it") after he saw that Washington meant business. Likewise, the Egyptian government has moved more aggressively against its militant Islamic elements.

This change in mood results from the change in American behavior.

For two decades - since Ayatollah Khomeini reached power in Iran in 1979 spouting "Death to America" - U.S. embassies, planes, ships, and barracks have been assaulted, leading to hundreds of American deaths. In the face of this, Washington hardly responded.

And, as Muslims watched militant Islam inflict one defeat after another on the far more powerful United States, they increasingly concluded that America, for all its resources, was tired and soft. They watched with awe as the audacity of militant Islam increased, culminating with Osama bin Laden's declaration of jihad against the entire Western world and the Taliban leader calling for nothing less than the "extinction of America."

The Sept. 11 attacks were expected to take a major step toward extinguishing America by demoralizing the population and leading to civil unrest, perhaps starting a sequence of events that would lead to the U.S. government's collapse.

Instead, the more than 4,000 deaths served as a rousing call to arms. Just two months later, the deployment of U.S. might has reduced the prospects of militant Islam.

The pattern is clear: So long as Americans submitted passively to murderous attacks by militant Islam, this movement gained support among Muslims. When Americans finally fought militant Islam, its appeal quickly diminished.

Victory on the battlefield, in other words, has not only the obvious advantage of protecting the United States but also the important side-effect of lancing the anti-American boil that spawned those attacks in the first place.

The implication is clear: There is no substitute for victory. The U.S. government must continue the war on terror by weakening militant Islam everywhere it exists, from Afghanistan to Atlanta.

 

 

We must respond to ALL of these Rouge nations that produce terrorism that comes and is supported by our wealth given to them in exchange for goods. Without the Great United States these people would still be roaming the desert. Lets not be cowards and hurt the innocent but lets inform the populations of these countries to evacuate all major cities and sites of infrastructure so we can turn them into glass and send the population back to the desert where they belong.

We should capture and secure land that produces oil and natural resources after all war is not a police action it is the capture of valuable land and resources while disabling your enemy. Again let's not kill the innocent but they must know the price for what they have done. Our prayers are with all in this land and the word.

Dave /
Palmetto Florida

* * *

For what it is worth copy of e-mail to offending "news" agencies.......

Various comments by newscasters re: President Bush and his handling/movements
during the breaking crisis are not only questionable in their appropriateness but also in
their intelligence and allegiance. It is about damn time the liberal media take sides and
residence in the appropriate country.....If you are going to say you don't know what in the world I am talking about....you need a new job.......No this is not a knee-jerk e-mail.....it has been getting more and more sickening in the last several years....and your newscasters recent comments have been more than the last straw...

P.S. You have worth-while allies on WLS 890 Chicago...Don & Roma.

thanks

* * *

OUR HERITAGE as AMERICANS: Responsibility for our own Defense

Hopefully through this World-Trade Center and Pentagon tragedy American Citizens again see the real-world importance of their individual responsibility to arm and protect themselves. Even though we have the worlds best armed forces to protect us from outside invaders and a civil justice system with a police force to protect us from robbers of our goods and lives on the inside it's unrealistic and irresponsible to rely on them for one's entire defense. Ultimately each person must shoulder responsibility for their own welfare.

Thank God our country is free enough that even one's avowed enemies intent on annihilating one's existence can freely walk the streets here and complain; however when they cross freedoms lawful line and forcefully point their weapons in your face will you fair better at reasoning with them than the passengers of any of the 4 hi-jacked planes?

Guns and other freedom-protecting devices must be readily available to decent citizens because decent citizens choose reason and freedom and evil citizens choose force and slavery. Reason tells us that when people disavow free-choice (i.e. choosing to initiate force against you as a tyrant instead of reasoning in hope of persuading you as a respected free citizen) then the only way for the good to survive is to meet the force of evil with overwhelming forces of good. A strong defense corporally and individually is required to remain free.

Like an optimist on a blind date gun control advocates too often assume for you that everyone you meet will be benevolent. Our Founding Fathers knew better and created the First and Second Amendments. They uniquely stood tall for the world's smallest minority group - THE INDIVIDUAL! What a heritage - American!

Everett

Nokesville Virginia

* * *

 

 

How come nobody is parading the fact that the lack of security provided by our Government has spent the last 8 years having it's funding cut and people not qualified running them.

JFreeman / Monroe MI

* * *

Have been contacting all the network news stations that have made remarks offensive about our President and his courage. Good to know there are many out paying attention to what these people are spouting. Have been watching Fox network. Appreciate coverage. Do not have cable. Have seen today many people wearing Red White and Blue.

Proud to be a Prayful American.

L.Rowe Iowa

* * *

WANNA HELP? GOTTA FLAG? SHARE IT!!!SHARING IS CARING.

I had an extra one and gave it to my neighbor. How about you? I'm thinking there must be plenty of flags( any size will do) that could be donated by an array of different
businesses sports complexes and the like. Wouldn't this be a great way to show our unity patriotism love and respect for one another and for our country? Is it or is it not about capitalism? Was anyone thinking of charging $10. for a parade flag? I hope not. But if so please think again.

Sandy Clark
Sarasota FL.

* * *

Re: Sadam Hussein Chavez & Castro

This is to remind you that president of Venezuela Chavez went recently to visit Sadam Hussein and later Fidel Castro went to visit Chavez in Venezuela with whom Fidel had a long meeting. They said they were talking about oil...

Also I want to tell you that the day Fidel had the dizziness spell in front of the public; he had been talking to the people near Havana about the five spies that the FBI had captured in Miami doing espionage. He was talking about how cruel and liar our government is. Now Fidel is sending messages of sympathy to our president and offering help???

All this is very interesting to me.

Jose

* * *

A formal declaration of war

Here is a copy of a letter I sent to my senators (Boxer & Feinstein). Sent to you just because.

I see in the news that there is a growing call for a formal declaration of war against whomever leveled the WTC & hit the Pentagon. There is much to be said for this and nothing against it.

By war I mean the classical definition of war; diplomats deliver the Articles of War we then invade and conquer. Start at one end and march to the other. This hasn't been done by anybody for some 60 years. I don't know why the whole of the international community is so dead set against the idea but there are clearly times when this is the appropriate way to go.

Our President said that he won't distinguish between those who committed this act and those who provide them refuge. That's proper. And its nice that international law doesn't require that the distinction be made.

A formal declaration of war would conform to the standards of international law. Of course we're going to slam whoever did this there's no doubt of this. But I think it important that the legalities be observed. While we can and have sent cruise missiles at our enemies before international law doesn't really permit us to do this.

This would also be a practical course of action. Mao Zedong in his book "On Guerrilla War" points out that guerrillas need a refuge. Whoever did this enjoys the refuge of some country or another. True invading in this instance would only eliminate one nest. But (as an example) say the Kingdom of Slobovia (Home of the Slobs) has a habit of permitting terrorists to stay in his back yard between voyages of slaughter. One day the King looks out to see US Marines storming his beaches laying waste to his army sees the Air Force shooting his planes out of the sky and watches our Army march from one end of his country to the other. That act would put Iraq Libya Afghanistan Syria and any other nation even thinking of being a refuge that there is indeed a price to pay for their conduct.

Such a course isn't suitable for everything of course. But what happened Tuesday was a little more serious than a car bombing. Almost 5000 Americans are dead. If that doesn't justify a formal declaration of war what the hell would?

I believe that its time (past time in fact) to return to the standards of the past. Terrorists weren't a great problem in the past because any nation that allowed war (in whatever form) to flow from its shores KNEW that war could flow back to them. They wouldn't embark on such a course unless they were also prepared to fight. That tended to keep them in line. Now insignificant countries finance horror because they're pretty sure noting will happen to them. A return to past standards would reverse that thinking.

Just one man's opinion. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sean / Oceanside Calif.

* * *

Seems that we are seeing the results of not following through in diligent efforts to root out evil in it's nests of Iraq Afghanistan and China. Don't you think we are suffering from our lack of an assassination policy similar to Israel's. And what about our bombing of the Chinese embassy? Could it be that china has a motive for trading weapons with Iraq? I see WW III! Bring it on! God bless America!
Wolverine

* * *

When it happens...

For all the people in this country who say"that doesn't happen here that happens in other countries it's none of our business" guess what?

Its a small world after all. We must respond as quickly and surely as possible and make a point no one can misunderstand. For all the times we have fought for others in their countries for all the Americans who died that other countries might be free. For the simple preservation of our place in the world as leaders in the fight for human rights and democracy avenge the innocent punish the guilty end their existence and make freedom real again in America.

GP CharlestonWV

* * *

In this most horrific tragedy against the people of this country from a most hateful group out to destroy our principals I am stunned. I sent an earlier e-mail about the comment made by Andrea Mitchell to Brian Williams on MSNBC on Tuesday before he even addressed the nation.

His"less than articulate" manner may not be able to give confidence to the people. Like Reagan and of course Clinton she referenced. Now here comes the NY times Wash.Post Jennings Brokaw and Rather to show utter disrespect towards the U.S. President while bodies of people are dying all around the center.Coincidence on timing and manner? Absolutely not!

Hate from the terrorists in physical nature is now matched by the verbal hate of the medicine to be supported by the phoney democrats who for now wait their turn. Ben Ladin the director of physical hate and the Bin Ladins of verbal hate directed by the media democrats and of course James Carville.

Leo

* * *

"How do we tell with all the Arab type people in our country which ones we can trust and which ones we can't. Should we deport them? Should we close our borders?"

I'm sure the tenancy right now is not to trust any of these people but most Americans right now want to ship them all back to their mother countries. My son-in-law is a NYC Firefighter and was held over the morning of the crashes - he has a 15 month old daughter and another child due in 4 months. My son flies for US Air. How can we not be prejudice after this act of violence?

Is there anyone who can help us understand this?

Judie Alders Florida New York

* * *

In light of our national heritage I'd like to suggest to you that this might be a spiritual problem. I believe (I'm a Christian) that God's hand of protection has been on our nation for as long as we have upheld his standards.

However with 20 years of legal abortion and with re election of a president in blatant sin it seems to me that we have thumbed our nose at God and declared "We'll do it our way." And so He will allow us to see how great we are without "one nation under God".

Read II Chronicles 7:10-21 and see if there is any similarities. I would suggest our first obligation as a public is to fast and pray and repent of the many prideful acts against the name and direction of God.

Although I realize you may never read this note I feel compelled to share with you a different perspective which I have yet to hear or see in the media or even from the pulpits of America. What would John Robinson or William Bradford have to say?

Sincerely
MaryJo

* * *

In the days to come we must remain committed as a nation to bringing not only those responsible for the World Trade Center and Pentagon attack to justice but all those would would propagate and support such acts against the United States or any nation in the world.

William E. Gee II
Proud American & US Army Vet

* * *

Make it Personal

What if every American mailed a dollar bill to the White House to be added to the reward for Osama Bin Laden. Can you imagine the impact of millions of dollar bills flooding the White House no letters just a buck. Maybe we could draw a line across the dollar in blue so that everyone would know this was a reward buck and no one would steal it or if the Treasury recycles it the world would get the message. Imagine some Baghdad taxi driver getting one a tip!

Hey come on it only a buck and stamp. Every time you buy a gallon of gas you pay more and put half a buck in some Arab's purse!

Duke

* * *

Wm. J Clinton because of his 8 year rape of the military should be tried for treason along with all Senate and Congress members who supported him with their votes. And for Wm.J and Hillary to be on national TV and condemn these actions and now support military response is so hypocritical it is beyond belief. Wake up America a country with a strong military and recent history of rapid response to any terrorist actions would not be dealing with the tragedies and loss of innocent lives that happened Tuesday.

Larry

* * *

Trading rights for security

The New World Order has arrived and from now on the people of the planet are going to be sacrificing their civil and human rights and accept a lot more surveillance and invasions of their privacy because they are convinced there is no other choice.

James / Delray Beach Florida

* * *

Clinton / Arrafat

Clinton's back from his Fundraising in Australia and heads right to the photo ops in the impact zone. Given his 8yrs of terrorist pandering and national security neglect compares exactly with his brother Arrafat who also went to a photo op. He gave blood for the victims of the N.Y. bombing.

Clinton does have his followers of media hate bombers towards Bush and the principals he represents. The venom they spread is the same venom that has destroyed their own heart leaving a chamber of poison that continuously pumps out hate. And an idealology has replaced their soul. God Bless the courageous men and women who have lost neither.

* * *

How Can I Help?

I am so frustrated! I am a 55 yr old female AF veteran. I know I'm too old to be able to "re-up" but I want be back in uniform to help in some way! I could take someone's place at a desk so they could be somewhere else!! Anything!!Can't they find a way for us to be back with our brothers and sisters in uniform serve our country again?

Okay...I know it's not going to happen and I'll have to find another way to help. But there is such a personal need to wear the blue again!!

thanks for listening

Jackie

* * *

Financial Backer of Terrorist

Given that we are a free economy and the financial backers of the terrorist had "deep pockets" with probable investments in the U.S. Isn't it probable they were very short the equity markets and futures markets for equities. It would be sickly ironic if they were the big financial winners on Wall Street on Monday.

* * *

Response to terrorism from another view

I have just learned that the NFL will cancel this weeks games and I can just hear the shallow discussion about how this will be a victory for terrorists because we are cowing. Baloney! If we played the games it would show our weakness it would be no secret to them that we are placing the economic value of these games first which reinforces their view that we are greedy.

The people of New York have displayed incredible strength in the face of loss AND sacrifice let's reinforce that stance by not griping about what we can't have by showing them that we don't need all the luxuries to be STRONGEST nation on Earth and our loss is worthy of respectful mourning which is not weakness.

Russell Rack an American.

* * *

$250-300 mil-Where's Bin Ladin's Money?

One thing that could put a definite crimp in the terrorist lifestyle would be to stop Bin Ladin's money from funding their activities. He doesn't have it in a cave in Afghanistan or he couldn't pay his bills. It's in banks around the world. Maybe it's time we put the screws to the Swiss banks and others to tell where it is and put a freeze on it while taking him to court. That way when he is soon to assume room temperature his heirs will not be able to use it.

Couple of other things. While certain leftist media people have insinuated that Bush should not have gone flying while the attacks were on I have another spin. To lose the president during a crisis like this would have been catastrophic. But the our elite press overlooked an important fact. One of the first things I thought of when I heard of the attacks was what would our enemies do while this was going on. Would N. Korea invade the south? Would the PLA invade Taiwan? How about Iraq to Kuwait? Whoever came up with the escape scenario Secret Service or military had it right. At first nobody knew where he was or was heading. That would give pause to any enemy thinking of taking advantage of the situation. And when word came out that he was heading for Offutt headquarters of SAC do you think they may have been thinking what's he going to do from there? I know I would have been wondering and would have put any plans for taking advantage of the situation on hold.

By the way the International Herald Tribune is reporting on 13Sep01 that the same People's Republic of China has signed a memo of economic cooperation and understanding with the Taliban government. Same day signed as the towers were leveled. Today the PRC offered us our assistance. With friends like this who needs more enemies? By the way in China's first press release that I saw on the day of the disaster they offered their sorrow but said they were concerned about Chinese citizen's in the U.S. Class huh?

Only one more thing and I'll be gone. Shouldn't our targets in this war include the bio/chem/nuc factories in Iraq Iran PRC Cuba and other countries supporting these terrorists as well as training facilities on the ground.

Did you ever play King of the Mountain? Well we're the king but there is a world full of Lilliputians down below teaming up to bring us down. And if we fall who will be the next King?

Larry from Clermont Florida

* * *

As the shock and tragedy of the recent attack on this greatcountry continue to produce countless numbers of stories of individual heroism many yet untold I can only sit and wonder how it is that we've seen soprecious little of Senator and Mr. Bill Clinton of late. After all it's a well-known fact that thesetwo relish every opportunity to have themselves in the news and on theair. Something just didn't feel rightand I wondered what exactly it could be that might possibly cause them torefrain from placing themselves once again in the limelight.

Then it struck me and frankly I'msurprised that this seems to have been forgotten perhaps due to the enormityof the more current and newsworthy items that a final despicable act by Mr.Bill had been the pardoning of Mark Rich. As I seem to recall hadn't Rich been indicted for among other thingsillegal oil and arms deals with Islamic countries and organizations engaged inviolent acts against the United States which violated U.S. law prohibitingsuch transactions under the "enemies of the U.S. act"? Would those groups directly benefiting from Rich's treason not have included Bin Laden's?

At this point it almost seems ridiculous to expect otherwise. I also seem to recall Slick Willie pardoninga murderous group of Puerto-Rican descent that had been convicted of the terrorist bombing of a New York bar or restaurant. I can only wonder if the Clintons are lying very low while wondering if these facts will once again be brought before the public.

Only now it seems the people of this country and especially New Yorkers can without question focus a large partof their current anger and disgust on the Clintons. When I hear that perhaps $100000 or more was spent on flighttraining for these mass murdering vermin is it beyond belief that theterrorists' association with Rich and others like him helped to pay forit? I just can not help but to wonderabout the extent of Rich's involvement with the terrorist nationals the exactnature of the transactions leading to his indictment and the possibility thatthe transactions helped in some way to finance or provide other resources to those involved in Tuesday's events.

This could be the ultimate slap in the face to New Yorkers the factthat they've all-along been embracing the very person that let Rich off thehook. If it becomes known that Rich'sdealings with the terrorists did in actuality assist them in some way toprepare for the New York massacre then a new charge should and must be filedon Rich conspiracy to commit murder. The elements of the conspiracy are all there including Rich's abilityand intent. While some might argue thatRich's intent cannot be established and that he never knew those directlyinvolved in the Tuesday tragedy this does not stand. Under U.S. conspiracy law it is not required that conspiratorsknow each other and whether Rich knew the terrorist's intent also can't beargued. If he knew those he abettedthrough his "business" dealings with were members of terrorist organizationsthen also knew their intent. Murder is what terrorists do.

Tom

* * *

The American Stock exchange is re-opening on Monday.

With Americans struggling to respond in a meaningful way to the incomprehensible evil of the terrorist attack what better way to be patriotic than for investors to hold steadfast and not panic trade. American Investors Express Your Resolve Don't Panic! Thank-you for your attention.

Susan and Carolyn

* * *

In this horrible time of tragedy America has United her citizens. Just think if all those American Flags that are sold out were made in America our economy would be booming! Keep our American products home FLAGS UNIFORMS BERETS!!!!

LINDA

* * *

14 September 2001

What to do what to do? Can you imagine the Japanese telling us that we better not retaliate after Pearl Harbor or that we'd be sorry? Should we have listened to them? Let me think...NOPE!!!!!

We have a faceless enemy to be sure...a coward cunning and clever. I've known people like that---except they had faces (sometimes several). Hell we fought for independence by using guerrilla tactics. Hit and run. BUT there was and is a difference. We did not fight civilians.

The rules have changed. I think we need to defeat groups of people...not just the ones who fired the actual weapons (they're already dead.) Nope...there are others...and there will be others. I do not even care if bin Laden did not directly cause this act of bullyism. He promotes it supports it and has been involved in other activities. He must go. Militant Islamics must go. THEY have declared war on us and they wish to use our humanity against ourselves.

And the China issue. Sooner or later they are our enemy. Face it. They do not mind using us to forward their own interests. They've stolen military secrets...nuclear secrets they've threatened Taiwan and us if we help the Taiwanese. Hm-m-m. They have troops in the Panama Canal some I hear are in Africa.I would not rule them out.

OK...time to be like the Israeli Mousad. Know your enemies and be prepared for the long haul. The cold war supposedly ended but even if true how long did that take? It would seem that to defeat your enemy after already having appealed to their conscience and their "friends" to intervene on the behalf of a just cause it is time to use whatever means at our disposal to achieve safety, security, and freedom... at the expense of the enemy. Perhaps we need to respond in such an horrific manner that all who see will say that it is best not to choose terrorism. If they kill 1 of ours that 1000 of theirs will die horribly...Sew their ground with salt...subjugate them entirely.

Make them ask for forgiveness publicly and unconditionally. Humiliate them. Make an abhorrent example of them.Some perhaps many innocent will get hurt. We may have lost 50000 innocent...so be it.

If the Arab or Islamic community in the US does not want any backlash here perhaps it would be a good idea to show them enlisting in the US armed forces if they have not already done so. Volunteer as a group to help sort through the rubble. Appeal to and chastise their Muslim brothers overseas to stop their tyranny.

Perhaps we should threaten retaliation if the Taliban government puts the American missionaries / evangelists on trial. It seems pretty clear that a religion that forbids people the right to choose and serve their Lord is a phoney religion anyway if converts will be killed.

Let's quietly go about our responses and efficiently build a network of operatives to undermine these groups...and not apologize for any mistakes that are made...you can't always be right. Remember the "bad kid in school---" The chronic troublemaker? He always gets the benefit of the doubt until people have had enough and he has created a bad reputation for himself. Then one day he does not do something he is accused of (someone else that he has directly or indirectly influenced does the bad deed). But he gets blamed for it. What follows? A cry of "Unfair!!!" "Foul!!!" I say "Too damn bad!!!" You had your chances.

* * *

As you may recall years ago a very valuable OTH-B Back scatter radar was shut down before completion of the Northeast portion was finalized due to yet another defense budget cutback and the notion that after the cold war deemed unnecessary. Yet foiled again - this would be an integral portion of defense. Maybe it should be revisited.

* * *

If the Afghanistan mountains and the Turkmenistan Uzbekistan and Tajikistan mountains are a barrier to keep us out why not make them a barrier to imprison the terrorist. Little collateral damage would occur if the mountain passes were closed by low radiation atomic bombs. Just enough radiation to close the passes for the next 100 years.

Al Holden

* * *

I sat today in my den and watched the service that was held in the National Cathedral. I was moved by the songs and prayers. But as I listened to MY President I don't think I had ever had more pride in him or my country. I appreciated his emotion for those who have died and for those who have given their lives to help. I appreciated MY President reminding us of what this country has stood for and for quoting God's Word. My prayer for him will be to have God's wisdom in this matter. Our God knows all things. Who better than God to give MY President wisdom.

I am proud to be an American.

Dawn Seal

* * *

My life has spanned Korea Vietnam the assassination of a president The attempted theft of the presidency Cold war .and many other events that left there marks on my life. All of these events have been dwarfed by the events of the past few days

I am one that also believes that it did not cost much and require large amounts of intelligence to put this terrorist attack together. The airline schedules are all available on you home computer and the weapons used are available at the hardware store
Living in Boston and have had the pleasure of dealing with the airport security here lets me completely understand how all of this was accomplished

The only thing I have trouble understanding is how they found 40 or 50 people to pull this job off all on the same day.

* * *

While it's great to see practically everyone even the news media referencing GOD... It is important for us to understand that no matter what... we will be held accountable for not believing that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to bear the penalty of our sins... It is through believing that Jesus died for our sins that we gain salvation from the grasp of SATAN. Osama bin Laden is operating under a clouded truth... while he may believe there is a God... he obviously does not believe in the 10 commandments and Jesus Christ or he would not be doing these malicious things. I am not preaching... I am simply telling of the truth the way and the light to get us through this event and all events is Jesus Christ.

And it is very appropriate for President Bush to reference scripture in his prayers & speeches as our nation was founded with a true belief in God... we've all just forgotten about that. Many people are spouting off about separation of church and state and that George Bush has no right to quote scripture in his prayers or speeches and that is absolutely his GOD given right to do so as a believer and as our leader of the United States of America which is funded by our currency that states "In God We Trust". It is not to be understood as "god" or "gods" with a lower case 'g'. It is the absolute supreme being of GOD.

And one more thing to ... all are born sinners. Even men and women of faith sin whether some like to state so or not... NO human being is perfect... That is why God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins. And again if we don't believe in Jesus Christ as God's Son we will not be saved.

KIMBERLY of LAS VEGAS

* * *

 

Dear Friends:
    At a time of unprecedented national tragedy when Americans are instinctively pulling together against a common enemy rekindling patriotic sensibilities long asleep two of our Congressman have gone public with unbelievably petty childish criticisms of our Nation's leader President George W. Bush. Consider the remarks of two scoundrels:
 
Congressman Richard Neal (D-Mass) had this to say at this poignant moment in history:
 
   " It's not a question of what he's saying. The content is fine but the blandness with which it is delivered has caused considerable reaction."
 
 
Congressman Martin Meehan (D-Mass) made this contribution:
 
   " I just don't buy the notion that Air Force One was a target. That's just PR. That's just spin."
 
 
 
MY RESPONSES:
 
Mr. Neal:
   This is not theater sir and so I cannot appreciate your preoccupation with stagecraft  and superficialities. The President's words were solemn sound sincere. I suspect our enemies have gotten the message. Men of courage and character men of their word need not employ pageantry and bombast. It is for lesser creatures to primp and pose for the press while they nip at the heels of their commander-in-chief. However reprehensible your remarks may be to Americans they will certainly be appreciated by our enemies.
********
 
Mr. Meehan:
   You accuse the President of cowardice?! In the wake of our enemy's blow against our nation you hurl deep insults against the person resolve and integrity of our President? I stand in wonder of this example you have set for all Americans who have been asked to unite against those who have obliterated thousands of lives and terrorized our nation? How delighted our enemies  must be to receive your cooperation and support!
 ***********   
 
   Those are my responses which I have forwarded to these poor excuses for men.  I have forwarded them to their offices. I encourage you to let them know how you feel too. They should not be permitted to undermine our President in this matter with impunity.
 
Contact Information: martin.meehan@mail.house.gov
 
Congressman Martin Meehan
11 Kearney Square
Lowell MA 01852
 
Ph. 978-459-0101 / Fax: 978-459-1907
 
Congressman Richard Neal
1550 Main St.
Federal Bldg.
Springfield MA. 01103

* * *

I am reprinting the entire story from Newsmax.com concerning Meehan'sand Neal's what I consider is treasonous remarks. What makes me even more sick is the fact that maybe no one censored them for these comments in the House. Maybe you can let the American people what despicablepeople these two Congressmen (I use the term lightly) really are.God bless you and God bless America.
Bob Sheehan Fiercely loyal American

* * *

Normal has just gone away.

Obviously there is a sea change in attitude in Americans and this change is more like the parting of the Red Sea than the turn of a tide. Self described "bleeding heart liberals" are demanding blood to be exacted by our military the same military that for decades they denounced as evil and unnecessarily bloated. I saw a green haired musician from SF who said he wanted to enlist. This is a tsunami of change of opinion the demise of liberal opinion and the attitudes regarding radical social engineering that seemed so entrenched just days ago. All opinions regarding race gender racial profiling affirmative action immigration defense spending security - everything - will now be considered in the context of Sept 11. The basis for our commitment to past models of radical social engineering have eroded overnight and stand revealed for what they are: an indulgence of luxury incongruent with our goal of survival - as was ever the case. If Sept 11 was an attack on our way of life liberalism was the first causality dead as the result of a reality check.

Jeffrey D.
TX

* * *

I am comforted by all the show by our government leaders to call upon our God for spiritual guidance however I wonder if they think that what a shame that they can openly express their belief in God and pray openly yet they deny this to our children in our schools. It is time that we give this back to our children. Prehaps if we had not take this away from them we may not be at this dreadful state in our country that we are now.

* * *

Keep up the pressure to make government responsible to us the citizens. I would like this phrase to become our motto of the day " LET US GO AND MAKE THEM GLOW " I am planning to have at least one bumper sticker made to place it on my car as written above. We need to act and to utterly destroy the culprits of this horrific act against not only our country but are citizens as well. I think we can truly understand Israel's stance on preemptive strikes as well as the need devastating retaliation against such acts of violence. It is easy to second guess until such an action is taken against you/us. Now we can see the need for such strong retribution against these murderous bastards. Thanks for letting me sound off. I will understand if this does not make your list of public discussion but I think most Americans will be seeking to eliminate any and all countries or persons who planned assisted or gave monetary support. JACK

* * *

 

"Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon the teachings of the Redeemer of Mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian."

U.S. Supreme Court 1892

* * *

 

I'm tired of supposed allies berating the US for it's foreign polices. I'm shocked and dismayed at the number of Europeans who say that it's about time we stopped being world cops and making ourselves a target for terrorism.

It's not quite that simple to say that the US needs to stop being the policeman of the world. To say this is over simplifying the problem. If you have two people fighting outside your home you can sit and watch. No harm should come to you.

But if they're fighting with cannons and rockets then you your family or your friends could easily become victims themselves. Unless you are strong. Then you stand between them so they don't do something that can hurt others. This is passive aggression.

We could have chosen to stand by and let the Israelis' slaughter the Palestinians but that's inhuman and would drag the rest of the world into the fight. More than that the US could not just stand by and watch the atrocity and would have helped the Palestinians on the basis of that alone.

But for our efforts Palestinians are dancing on the graves of the very people who tried to help them. I dont recall any of the Arab nations -some of the richest nations in the world- ever sending in food and shelter to help them. Yasser Arrafat was considered to be just another terrorist until the US brought him to the peace talks and forced the Israelis to recognize him as a diplomat so they could begin a peace effort. Israel would not have done that on their own.

The same has played out in many other countries and cultures with much the same result.

What we lack here what we have always lacked is the support of the rest of the world who would just sit back and enjoy our financial support and watch us fight for world peace.

The underlying fact is that any alliance with the United States has always been an alliance for peace.

Skip L. - Texas

* * *

Just as the song goes--God bless America land that i love--also now comes a sense of anger and frustration at having our nation having come under such a terrible and cowardly attack by those who are indeed the biggest cowards in the world. osama bin laden and those that think and act as he does deserve nothing less than the horrible acts they have carried out on our great nation. I am very happy to see congress put aside their differences and stand behind President Bush in and indeed America in our resolve to now take fight to those bastards. It is also a great to see the people of the United States reaching out and helping each other in this most difficult of times. Finally Rush i would like to say thanks to you, for being a voice of reason and someone who i know i
can always count on for the truth.

GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS AMERICA---CHRIS PRESTRIDGE

* * *

A WAr With Two Fronts

Many may not realize it but the war on terrorism is a war with two fronts. The first being the one which we all recognize as being out there somewhere, Iraq, Afghanastand or where ever. The other not so apparent is the front right here in our own communities.

In many ways we allowed the terrible to happen simply because we are not familiar who lives among us. Who is our neighbor? To wage war on terrorism we have to be just the opposite, friendly! Get to know those whom we live among. Don't simply smile and wave ( tho that doesn't hurt) but go up to introduct yourself and get to know your neighbor. This will take far more courage that cursing at the terrorist and telling Ben whoever to kiss your hinny.

* * *

I have donated my Tax Rebate to the American Red Cross to support the American efforts in New York, Washington and Pittsburgh. I challenge every American to do the same. It was money none of us were counting on and the cost of this relief effort will be enormous! God Bless America!!!

Lisa

* * *

Why do these evil people always hide behind Religion?? This is just HATE!! Saturday in our local paper there was a statement "He who kills a person without necessity...will never go to heaven. It"s not courage in any way to kill an innocent person, or to kill thousands of people, including men and women and children." SHEIK MOHAMMED SAYED TANTAWI of AL-AZAR MOSQUE in CAIRO, EGYPT... I wish there was some way we could get this TRUTH to those FOOLS who have been following these evil leaders. DITTOS from Florence - San Antonio TX

* * *

Is it time to redefine ' letters of marque ' and set bounty hunters upon those who have cause us such pain ? The privateer equivalent of the terrorist cell ; as an addition to our regular arm forces .

U.S. Constitution: Section 8. The Congress shall have power .....

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations; To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

* * *

COULD YOU PROVIDE ME W/E MAIL ADDRESS FOR MAUREEN DOWD? I WANT TO EMAIL HER BECAUSE OF HER CONTEMPT FOR PRESIDENT BUSH. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THESE LIBERALS AND ESPECIALLY NOW WHEN WE, AS A NATION, ARE GRIEVING.

ALSO: DID YOU READ HER SEPT. 05,2001 PIECE? I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR YOUR OPINION ON THIS: ESPECIALLY NOW SINCE WE HAVE BEEN ATTACKED AS A NATION. SEEMS TO ME MS. DOWD IS OUT OF TOUCH: SHE, HERSELF, NOT WORTHY OF LITERATURE! WE NOT ONLY NEED BETTER NATIONAL SECURITY (THANKS TO CARTER AND CLINTON/GORE), BUT WE DO NEED THE MISSILE DEFENSE. PLEASE COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE AT LEAST A BIT. THIS IS SICKENING. THANKS

* * *

This is a copy of the letter to marty meehan, hope you enjoy it.

I will start off by not addressing you as Mr. or Representative as I don't think either title would suit you and you are not deserving of either. I was and still am very disappointed and saddened by your comments concerning President Bush. How dare you brandish the serpent tongue of liberalism at a time like this. Unfortunately, the main stream liberal press will not expose you to the rest of the country.

What would you expect the Commander in Chief to do with "missles" flying over our countries airspace? President Bush did exactly what the Secret Service protocal was, and that was to stay alive and guide this country. Like it or not , and the later proves true by your comments , the President of the United States of America is George Bush. Be a man and get behind him at this time and drop the "liberals against Republicans".

* * *

HAD TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE !

Spoke with daughter Denice and son (in our hearts), Bill last evening. Bill told me of a conversation that he had with youngest of our grandchildren Kaitlyn....Saturday morning on the way to her tap dance class. Kaitlyn is approx. 5 1/2 years old.

Bill was listening to the presidents remarks from Friday or, his regular Saturday address...don't recall which one it was.

Kate said to her dad.....that was the president right daddy ? Bill told her yes it was. She said to him....our president is looking for those bad men that killed Americans, what will he do when he finds them ? Bill answered...I don't know Katy.....what do you think he will do?

Well, she said....I think he will kill the very, very bad ones and those that are not as bad he will put in prison for life.

Bill replied....yes Katy that may be what happens. She was silent for a moment and then asked her dad.......do you think he has a water bottle to use while he is looking ? ......obviously, Katy does not want him to be come thirsty or fatigued while looking for those bad men. NEITHER DO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE !Bill told her, yes Kate....I believe the president has a water bottle.

MY DEAR LITTLE KATY .......THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE THE PRESIDENT'S WATER BOTTLE !! Hit the buildings....missed America....even missed it in the heart and mind of a five year old American !!

Rest well....we're coming !!

Barbara

* * *

An open letter to Muslims in the U.S.

Recent atrocities perpetrated against the U.S. by supposed Islamic extremists have served to focus attention on Moslems living or visiting in the U.S. It has been pointed out, correctly, that those responsible for these attacks are not representative of the majority of Moslems. Such bigotry against Moslems in the U.S. is unbecoming of our country and inexcusable.

Of course, statements like those above have been reiterated frequently in the last few days. What I have not heard amidst all the urging to be tolerant, is any possible positive thing that peace loving Islamic peoples can do in response to the recent atrocity that would make such anti-Islamic bigotry so obviously wrong that even the people now practicing it would see it as abhorrent.

I suggest a vigorous visible effort be made by Moslems in freer Western democracies, to implore their fellows in the predominantly Islamic nations of the world, to practice, in their own countries, the same tolerance they rightly expect from western democracies. Even in progressive Islamic states like Saudi Arabia there is blatant and frequent persecution of anyone espousing any other faith than Islam. Proselytism is a criminal offense and conversion from Islam to anything is a capital crime. The inverse, of course, is never prohibited in a Moslem country. In many places, such as Sudan, Pakistan or Afghanistan, it is far worse. People of other faiths routinely are imprisoned and many face death, simply because they do not embrace Islam.

What would happen if even 50% of the Moslems enjoying the freedoms of more tolerant nations engaged in a fervent letter writing campaign to their countries of origin? What if Islamic clergy were to preach tolerance regularly? What if Moslems by the thousands protested and demonstrated outside the embassies of any Islamic country that dared to try a person of non-Islamic faith for blasphemy or converting from Islam? Such pressure would bring at least a modicum of change, maybe more. Such pressure, applied by fellow Moslems, would surely be accepted more readily than the protests of infidels. Such pressure, applied by Moslems, would do much to silence those who think all Moslems are extremist.

Doug
Byron, MN

Dear Everyone in the U.S.A.
 
 
From the peace and comfort of our home here in British Columbia, we offer our most sincere sympathy to the citizens of the United States because of the horrific terrorist disaster on September 11 th 2001.
 
None of us can fully appreciate the horror you have been exposed to and we are deeply sad over these events. As the country's dignitaries have said we Canadians will support you and your needs in any way possible. On a personal note I wish I was able to participate in helping you through these terrible days. God Willing we will rid the world of these inhumane people and free people everywhere will be once again free.
 
We share your sorrow and offer our condolences.
 
Denny and Elizabeth

* * *

American Flag Rules and Regulations

As I was unable to find a flag for purchase this past Thursday, being a seamstress, I made one. In figuring out the design proportions, I found the website below which lists the rules and regulations for our flag. It is noteworthly that the flag is not considered a "thing". To Americans, it "is" that for which it stands. I had no idea there were so many rules and regulations for our flag! Yet as I read through them, I knew most of them. Where did I learn that? I'm 46 and said the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag throughout my schooling. I know those experiences form the basis of my patriotism today. With all the flags out and about these days, I want people to know about the proper raising, dispaying, lowering, caring and responding to our flag.

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html#02

Glenda
Seatlle, WA

* * *

"Something to Think About" - Let's forget about plains and look at "trucks and cars" being used a weapons. fill the trailer of a 18 wheeler with explosives or the trunk of a car "BOOM" we saw that in oklahoma city. muslims drive trucks too i've seen them, truckers have a name for them ( Rag Heads ) maybe you could advise the FBI or whoever to keep an eye open !!
Punish the people involved not a whole "nation"

* * *

www.nizkor.org <http://www.nizkor.org, a site which was set up after the '93 trade center bombings. It is a succinct and, in hindsight, haunting account of how our country has actually facilitated the development of terrorism from within and without its borders.

Brian
Great Falls

* * *

"Every man's duty is to his King, but every man's soul is his own"

-- Henry V --

We have already suffered the intolerable loss. The loss so great many would want to withdraw from its memory even before the dust settled. But we have not and will not.

We have the ministry of the Lord to work with the hurting, troubled and confused. WE are also the Shepards, the ones who lead the flock to safety and security. Are we as Shepards merely going to throw ourselves to the wolves to be devoured by the same without regard to what happens to the flock when our personal self-sacrifice is complete?

We are no longer in a position to merely keep the wolves at bay for they have left their dens to take up residence in our dens. They will not be removed as long as the feeding is good. It is time to gird up our loins to end this world wide social injustice of terrorism aimed at the innocent.

If World War II was a just war then this one against an anonymous impersonal enemy is even more than simply another just war. It is our Rubicon. It is our World or theirs.

Let us not make Jesus out to be no more than a one dimensional God. He surely is the heart and soul of all mercy and forgiveness and he much more. We know that we as Christian are not of this world but that we must work in this world to end suffering, starvation, and injustice. I have forgotten where I heard this admonition first, but it does apply that, 'we should not to be so heavenly that we are of no earthly good.'

When Jesus was asked about the coin with Caesars' head on one side and asked to whom should we pay taxes? Jesus replied render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's and unto God that which is God's.[1] <mhtml:mid://00000000/#_ftn1When Christ was asked by the soldiers as to how a soldier should do his job Christ instructed them to do it without abusing their authority.[2] <mhtml:mid://00000000/#_ftn2Good words from the God who also institutes the organization of the governments to which these words apply.[3] <mhtml:mid://00000000/#_ftn3>

We should not embark on a random flexing of muscle to show the World we are angry but rather be deliberate and unflinching in our pursuit not only of the individuals but also of the governments who support such inhumane endeavors. For without the host government the parasitic virus could not be spread so very easily.

We should always seek God's direction in prayer and be sure to listen for the answer, which will rest in the very depths of our hearts. Being forgiving does not mean being less than assertive not does forgiveness expunge the guilty of a reasoned justice being decided by equally reasoned men responding with Christian love and correction within God's will.

Let us then as Shepards, start to look for the wolves in our midst and to seek out their original den. The loss of those wolves and their den is much more desirable than the arbitrary and capricious loss of any more sheep who live peacefully everywhere else in the world.

1Let every person be subject to the governing authorities; for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you wish to have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive its approval; 4for it is God's servant for your good. But if you do what is wrong, you should be afraid, for the authority does not bear the sword in vain! It is the servant of God to execute wrath on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore one must be subject, not only because of wrath but also because of conscience. 6For the same reason you also pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, busy with this very thing. 7Pay to all what is due them-taxes to whom taxes are due, revenue to whom revenue is due, respect to whom respect is due, honor to whom honor is due. Romans 13:1-7 NRSV

Consider these in your reflection of the attack on our World. Consider them with the realization that our worldview is not their worldview. Consider that our World view does not allow for the existence of terrorism while their exists to nurture hate, death and destruction.

"Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

-- Jesus -- Matt 18:18

 

These are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict the more glorious the triumph.

-- Thomas Paine, The Crisis -- December 1776

Your brother in Christ, Jud

* * *

How to catch the terrorists

Why don't we try an international lottery to flush out Bin Laden and his pals. We could start it at $500 million and deduct $1 million for every minute it takes to capture them dead or alive. This would definitely encourage anyone who would like to be rich, famous or just get revenge.
It would also be the best way to prevent further attacks, destruction and loss of American lives. Money is a great motivator and the longer ittakes the more of it there is to lose. Do you have a better idea?
Marylynn

* * *

I Can't Take it Anymore!!

I really am tired of hearing about the thought of the day anthrax. We need to look forward to what may be next on Bin Laden's agenda.

First, he used our commerical airplane against us...now he is using the media to spread panic! Now instead of cowering in the corner, we Americans need to get mad and say no more!

Let's get our greatest minds thinking about this. The Al Queda mind set works like a psychological thriller. Look for the pattern and we may know what comes next. Instead of being scared let's prepare!

Instead of the media focusing on who is being tested and who has it, I would like to see who has the capability to make this type of anthrax and seek out the lab or labs. Then we would be getting somewhere.

Please stop the media madness and get on with the game!

* * *

How Much News is good new?

It occurs to me that there is a lot of information being published/broadcast that gives either ideas for tactics or information on how to carry out tactical ideas. The news media is telling the bad guys exactly what we are most afraid of and how well the attacks are going. As an example, a list of labs that have had or now have anthrax stocks.

I realize that the bad guys probably know most of this stuff already but just in case they don't know it, why should it be presented to them on a silver platter? I don't know how to strike a balance between what we need to know and what we are being told in great detail. The British and American control of the reportage during World War Two comes to mind.

Best regards,
John

--
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. "
- Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

* * *

There is a Silver Bullet

In the dusty pages of our history a CPT John J. Pershing was successful in fighting fanatic Muslims called Moros in the Philippines. They were called the "juramentados" they believed that killing the infidel Christians will give them instant access to Allah. Pershing came up with the idea that splashing them with pig's blood and blowing them
away with the Colt M1911 pistol put a stop to that practice and won himself a star as a general and bypassing all other ranks in between captain and colonel.And "Blackjack" Pershing passed on as a legend in his time from chasing the bandit Pancho Villa on both sides of the Rio Grande with MacArthur and Patton under his command learning the ropes onmobile warfare, and leading our troops in France in WW I.

The Muslims are very particular about the way they present themselves to Allah, and that is why in the terrorist "how-to" book, they even mention about washing their feet and wearing clean clothes, but something unclean as pigs blood or being buried with a pig's carcass would really spoil their day at the pearly gates. The hell with their
sensibilities, lets soak our bombs in pig's blood and let them know what we really think about their love of death as opposed to our love of life.And by the way, if our ground troops ever get close to kill them, a slice of bacon will do just fine for each dead body willing to die for their Allah. I wish Bin Ladin not be called "Mr",or a "freedom fighter" or a "holy warrior" that he fancies himself to be, but a cowardly, murdering swine.

Cary

* * *

9/11/ attack

Just one or two thoughts about Ben Ladin and the attack on the World Trade Buildings and the Pentagon. Ben Ladin was not around when Pearl Harbor was bombed and as the Japanese found out that they awakened a sleeping giant. The same is true now and the giant has grown much bigger since Pearl Harbor. So like stepping on and squashing an unwanted bug is how we will eliminate this scourge on humanity Ben Laden. Bugs crawl into dark places for cover, so even Ben Laden as he crawls into his caves for cover our exterminators will smoke him out and destroy the pest and his fellow bugs.

Don from San Diego, Calif.

* * *

Radio Address by Laura Bush to the Nation: The Taliban's War Against Women and Children

Laura Bush: Good morning. I'm Laura Bush, and I'm delivering this week's radio address to kick off a world-wide effort to focus on the brutality against women and children by the al-Qaida terrorist network and the regime it supports in Afghanistan, the Tablian. That regime is now in retreat across much of the country, and the people of Afghanistan - especially women - are rejoicing. Afghan women know, through hard experience, what the rest of the world is discovering: The brutal oppression of women is a central goal of the terrorists. Long before the current war began, the Taliban and its terrorist allies were making the lives of children and women in Afghanistan miserable. Seventy percent of the Afghan people are malnourished. One in every four children won't live past the age of five because health care is not available. Women have been denied access to doctors when they're sick. Life under the Taliban is so hard and repressive, even small displays of joy are outlawed - children aren't allowed to fly kites; their mothers face beatings for laughing out loud. Women cannot work outside the home, or even leave their homes by themselves.

The severe repression and brutality against women in Afghanistan is not a matter of legitimate religious practice. Muslims around the world have condemned the brutal degradation of women and children by the Taliban regime. The poverty, poor health, and illiteracy that the terrorists and the Taliban have imposed on women in Afghanistan do not conform with the treatment of women in most of the Islamic world, where women make important contributions in their societies. Only the terrorists and the Taliban forbid education to women. Only the terrorists and the Taliban threaten to pull out women's fingernails for wearing nail polish. The plight of women and children in Afghanistan is a matter of deliberate human cruelty, carried out by those who seek to intimidate and control.

Civilized people throughout the world are speaking out in horror - not only because our hearts break for the women and children in Afghanistan, but also because in Afghanistan, we see the world the terrorists would like to impose on the rest of us.

All of us have an obligation to speak out. We may come from different backgrounds and faiths - but parents the world over love our children. We respect our mothers, our sisters and daughters. Fighting brutality against women and children is not the statement of a specific culture; it is the acceptance of our common humanity - a commitment shared by people of good will on every continent. Because of our recent military gains in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned in their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughters without fear of punishment. Yet the terrorists who helped rule that country now plot and plan in many countries. And they must be stopped. The fight against terrorism is also a fight for the rights and dignity of women.

In America, next week brings Thanksgiving. After the events of the last few months, we'll be holding our families even closer. And we will be especially thankful for all the blessings of American life. I hope Americans will join our family in working to insure that dignity and opportunity will be secured for all the women and children of Afghanistan.

Have a wonderful holiday, and thank you for listening.

* * *

BUSH DEFENDS ORDER FOR MILITARY TRIBUNALS

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A55363-2001Nov19.html

Bush Defends Order For Military Tribunals
President Hosts Ramadan Iftar Dinner

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, November 20, 2001; Page A14

President Bush said yesterday that his order allowing foreign terrorism suspects to be tried in military tribunals is "the absolute right thing to do," despite fears expressed by both liberals and conservatives that long-cherished principles of American justice could be compromised.

Bush signed an executive order last week allowing military trials of non-citizens who are members of the al Qaeda terrorist network or who are charged with aiding or committing acts of terrorism, or harboring terrorists. Such tribunals could be held in secret and could require a lower burden of proof for the government than a normal criminal proceeding. Civilians have not been subject to such trials since World War II.

"I need to have that extraordinary option at my fingertips," Bush said after a Cabinet meeting yesterday. "I ought to be able to have that option available should we ever bring one of these al Qaeda members in alive. It's our national interests, it's our national security interests that we have a military tribunal available. It is in the interests of the safety of potential jurors that we have a military tribunal."

Under the terms of the order, Bush will personally decide which cases should be handled by a tribunal. A senior administration official said that during several briefings on the issue, Bush was told that President Franklin D. Roosevelt had made those decisions himself, rather than delegating them to the Justice Department or the Pentagon.

"It was the president who said, 'This will be my decision,' " the official said, confirming a report in Newsweek. "As the president, he can take into account all the considerations -- from diplomatic to military to law enforcement to intelligence -- about whether this is the proper method of adjudicating justice."

The official said the tribunal could be used for foreign nationals arrested both within the United States and abroad. Bush said federal officials "will do everything we can to defend the American people within the confines of our Constitution, and that's exactly how we're proceeding."

"These are extraordinary times," Bush said yesterday. "I would remind those who don't understand the decision I made that Franklin Roosevelt made the same decision in World War II. Those were extraordinary times, as well."

Bush's Cabinet meeting featured a presentation by Andrew S. Natsios, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, who spent last week visiting refugee camps in central Asia. The United States has airlifted 20,000 wool blankets, 100 rolls of plastic sheeting, 200 metric tons of high-energy biscuits and one metric ton of sugar to Turkmenistan for distribution in Afghanistan.

"There are millions of Afghans who were starving prior to September the 11th as a result of drought," Bush said. "Obviously, to complicate matters, there has been a war in that land. And yet, this good nation is doing everything we can to move enormous amounts of food into the areas where people are likely to starve."

Last night, Bush wished "a blessed Ramadan" to 52 Muslim diplomats who came to the State Dining Room for a traditional Iftar dinner, which breaks the daily sunrise-to-sundown fast during Islam's holy month. Bush had refused calls from some Muslim leaders to cease hostilities in Afghanistan during Ramadan, which began Friday.

The guests included the Palestinian National Authority's representative in Washington, Hasan Abdel Rahman, and the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Bandar bin Sultan. Bush, who has said he is at war with terrorism, not Islam, said in his dinner remarks that the Koran "has guided billions of believers across the centuries, and those believers built a culture of learning and literature and science."

"All the world continues to benefit from this faith and its achievements," Bush said. "Ramadan and the upcoming holiday season are a good time for people of different faiths to learn more about each other. And the more we learn, the more we find that many commitments are broadly shared."

After a White House Rose Garden ceremony, Bush had said his message for the dinner would be, "We're a nation of many faiths." Asked if the sentiment was symbolic, he immediately replied, "No -- it's real."

In a continuation of the administration's global campaign to highlight the oppression of Afghan women by the Taliban regime, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell met at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building yesterday with a spectrum of women that included Christian radio host Janet Parshall and feminists Eleanor Smeal and Mavis Leno.

Bonnie Erbe, host of PBS's "To the Contrary," said women who usually disagree rose to praise the administration for the campaign. "The Democratic women had to give them credit, because they're doing something very atypical and something that takes a lot of guts," Erbe said.

Today, the White House will release a public service announcement in which the president and first lady Laura Bush encourage volunteer service.

© 2001 The Washington Post Company

 

* * *

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A37808-2001Nov15.html
From Agony To Anxiety, Then Freedom
Aid Workers Describe Rescue From Taliban

By Molly Moore
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, November 16, 2001; Page A01

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Nov. 16 (Friday) -- Two American aid workers said today that they escaped from Afghanistan in a "Hollywood rescue" after a terrifying 48-hour ordeal that began as they sat atop rocket-launchers in a Taliban truck fleeing Kabul and that ended in a dark field where they set fire to their headscarves to guide U.S. commandos searching for them in helicopters.

"It really was a Hollywood rescue," said Heather Mercer, 24, a native of Vienna. Va. "We were petrified. We weren't sure what was going to happen."

"At the time, we didn't know if we'd make it out alive," said Dayna Curry, 30, of Thompson's Station, Tenn., who added, "We were sitting on rocket-launchers as they were taking us out of Kabul."

At a news conference at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad today, the two women made their first comments since their pre-dawn rescue Thursday, and described their last harrowing 48 hours in Afghanistan, where they were among a group of eight Westerners who were detained for more than three months on charges of spreading Christianity. The American women said they were treated well by the Taliban during most of their captivity, with some of the guards even calling them sisters and saying they loved them. But they said that late Monday night, Taliban soldiers stormed into the prison where they were being held in Kabul and shoved them into a truck atop rocket-launchers in a road-race convoy of tanks and other vehicles streaming southward toward Kandahar as opposition Northern Alliance forces advanced on the Afghan capital.

Despite their terror, Curry said, "During the three-hour trip we started singing songs and were even laughing. Heather read scriptures to give us hope and encouragement."

At 2 a.m. Thursday, the eight men and women huddled in a field outside the southeastern city of Ghazni, listening to the whump-whump of distant helicopters that could not find them. Panic-stricken, the women set fire to their headscarves; everyone then ripped off pieces of outerwear to fuel the blaze that led the choppers to them while local commanders who assisted in their rescue tossed wood on the blaze.

"We found some matches and set our head covers on fire," said Mercer. "We found out later that was very helpful" in guiding the helicopters to the field.

Mercer described the events leading to the arrival of the helicopters as "a very complicated, difficult process. It was go, no go."

When the helicopters finally set down, she said, U.S. Special Forces troops jumped out shouting "are you the detainees?"

"It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen," said Mercer, "to be taken captive by one government and to walk out of prison a free person with another government."

The two American women, along with their four German and two Australian colleagues have described their escape and rescue from Afghanistan in a series of riveting news conferences since their arrival here in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad Thursday morning.

"It's like a miracle," said Georg Taubmann, the leader in Kabul of Shelter International Now International, the organization that employed the aid workers.Just before Kabul fell, we were so excited to get out. We heard already troops were coming in.

"Then the Taliban came in and took us away," Taubmann said minutes after the disheveled group arrived in Islamabad on Thursday. "We knew if we ended up in Kandahar, we would probably not survive."

But as the convoy carrying the aid workers neared the city of Ghazni, local militiamen began firing, forcing the vehicles to stop and the escorts to scramble to secure the aid workers.

"They put us all into a steel container that was terribly cold," said Taubmann, referring to the metal shipping containers used throughout Afghanistan for storage, shops and makeshift housing. "We were locked up in there with no blankets. It was freezing the whole night through."

Tuesday morning, the Taliban herded the aid workers into a prison in Ghazni, which Taubmann described as "a terrible place," the worst of the five jails in which the group had been housed since being arrested Aug. 3.

When Taubmann, who worked in Afghanistan and Pakistan for 17 years and speaks the Taliban's Pashto language, complained about the filth and overflowing toilets, a Taliban fighter sneered, "This is not your country, it's Afghanistan."

The fighters slammed shut the steel doors and left.

"That was a horrifying experience," Taubmann said. "We thought if nobody comes to take care of us, we might not come out alive."

A short time later, at 9 a.m., U.S. aircraft dropped bombs or fired missiles so close to the jail that its walls rattled. The aid workers, most of whom are members of evangelical churches, crouched in a corner of their cell and prayed the bombs would not kill them.

At 10 a.m., the city erupted in firefights.

"It was the uprising," Taubmann said. The group heard shouts and the crack of weapons fire as residents apparently turned against the Taliban and began driving its forces from the city. Slowly, the tone of the shouts changed. The anger and the fear subsided.

The aid workers heard the voices of children. The sporadic rattle of Kalashnikov rifles sounded more like traditional Afghan celebratory gunfire than the staccato of pitched firefights. But then came the sounds of metal doors being thrust open as men broke into the prison.

"We were afraid the Taliban were coming to take us to Kandahar," Taubmann said. "We were really scared."

The door to their cell burst open, and an armed man stood in the doorway. The aid workers stared in terror. The man stared back -- in amazement.

"They didn't expect to find foreigners," Taubmann said.

"Azad! Azad!" the man shouted. "Free! Free!"

"They opened the prison," Taubmann said. "We were free. When we got out of the prison, people came out of their houses and hugged us and greeted us. They were all clapping. It was like a big celebration for all these people."

Although the people who stormed the prison and released all of its inmates -- including the aid workers -- identified themselves as members of the Northern Alliance, they appear to have been led by a local tribal leader who had turned against the Taliban.

In addition to Taubmann and the two Americans, the other aid workers are Germans Margrit Stebner, Katrin Jelinek and Silke Durrkopf, and Australians Diana Thomas and Peter Bunch.

The eight foreigners probably would have been expelled from Afghanistan if they had been convicted of promoting Christianity, but the 16 Afghan employees of their organization who also were arrested in August probably would have faced the death penalty.

The Afghans reportedly were released from a prison on the outskirts of Kabul after the Northern Alliance took control of the city.

According to Haron Amin, spokesman for the Northern Alliance in Washington, forces opposed to the Taliban had received information about the aid workers when they were taken from Kabul, and had tracked them as they were driven south.

"Through infiltration and intelligence, we located the site of the aid workers," he said. "We helped arrange for them to be secured, and for special forces to take them out."

Taliban authorities have said they released the group.

But the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Wendy Chamberlin, said the aid workers "were released not by the Taliban, but by the people of Afghanistan who have broken away in Ghazni from the Taliban. . . . They encountered a number of very good-hearted and generous Afghan citizens who showed courage in helping them, and who helped arrange through our embassy and the U.S. military for a daring midnight rescue."

It took more than 30 hours to arrange that mission.

On Tuesday afternoon, the local commander who ordered the release of the aid workers called the Ghazni office of the International Committee of the Red Cross, according to Bernard Barrett, a spokesman for the ICRC Afghanistan delegation here.

"He relayed the message to us in Islamabad" that the local commander had requested the organization's assistance to "set up communication with [the workers' governments] and facilitate transfers," Barrett said. "We immediately got in touch with the three embassies."

With the foreign aid workers sheltered under the auspices of the local commander, the embassies, U.S. military and the workers began plotting a rescue.

"Early on Wednesday, it was decided the safest and fastest way would be an air evacuation made by the governments involved," Barrett said.

U.S. Special Forces based in Pakistan began planning the operation,

Meanwhile, the aid workers reportedly learned that a group of townspeople believed they should not be released without their governments paying ransom, according to Taubmann.

As the hours dragged, the rumblings from the townspeople grew.

"We were very nervous through the whole thing and wanted to get them out as quickly as possible and ensure their safety," said Barrett, adding the ICRC had no role in the rescue operation.

"It was not all that secure, there was an element of risk all the time," said Howard Brown, an official at the Australian Embassy in Islamabad. Just after midnight, with the city under a black-out curfew and occasional skirmishes between retreating Taliban and defecting commanders underway, the six women and two men slipped into the open field designated as the pickup zone. Because of the curfew, they carried only lanterns.

The lanterns were too dim for the helicopters to spot. With the choppers thumping in distance, ransom-seeking villagers reportedly heading toward them, and fearful that hostile Taliban troops were still in the area, the increasingly panicked women tore off their headscarves and set them on fire. Everyone then began ripping off outer clothing to add to the blaze.

"We burned everything we had -- clothes, everything -- to make a big fire," Taubmann said. Special Forces teams snatched the eight, lifted off and returned to Pakistan.

At 8:15 a.m., they landed at an airport near Islamabad. The Americans, Mercer and Curry, were greeted by their sobbing parents and U.S. diplomats, and the Australians and Germans were met by ambassadors and diplomats from their embassies.

"It was a very emotional and joyous reunion," Chamberlin said, adding that "we were all crying, everyone was weeping. It was fun."

Mercer's parents, John Mercer, an Army retiree from Vienna, Va. and her mother, Deborah Oddy, of New York, and Curry's mother, Nancy Cassell, have been in Islamabad since they were evacuated from Kabul two days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States. All three had been in Kabul to attend their daughters' trial.

The aid workers were driven to the residences of their ambassadors.

"I can speak for the Americans because they are in my home," Chamberlin said. "They've been hugging their parents. They've been taking a hot bath. They've been eating their favorite meals. They've been to a beauty parlor and had their hair done and they've been sharing a totally wonderful, joyous day."

President Bush said he spoke to the Americans Thursday morning and that "their spirits were high."

"It was very dramatic, right until the end," Taubmann said at a news conference Thursday night. He was wearing a new pair of pants that still sported the store tags, and he had sheared the scraggly beard and long hair he had when he had arrived in Islamabad.

"I am a Christian -- I have forgiven them [the Taliban] for what they have done," he said. "But as a human being, I hate what they did to us."

© 2001 The Washington Post Company

* * *

October 20, 2001- New York Times

AN INQUIRY: F.B.I. Asks if Hijacking Plot Included Plane at Kennedy

By MATTHEW L. WALD

ASHINGTON, Oct. 19 — The Federal Bureau of Investigation is looking into whether a United Airlines flight scheduled to leave Kennedy International Airport for San Francisco was a target of hijackers on Sept. 11, aviation and law enforcement officials said.

The United plane, Flight 23, was late pushing back from the gate and was seventh in line for takeoff when Kennedy was closed because of the terrorist attacks.

When the captain announced that the plane was returning to the gate, four male passengers described as Middle Eastern in appearance stood up and began urgently consulting with each other, two aviation officials said. The men refused orders from flight attendants to return to their seats, the officials said.

The cockpit crew did not wait for the men to be seated but decided to taxi back to the gate anyway, the officials said. "As soon as the door opened, these four guys bolted," said one of the officials. The other added that the F.B.I. later interviewed the crew about the incident.

Law enforcement officials confirmed that the F.B.I. is investigating the incident. A United spokesman refused to comment, except to say that the passenger list had been turned over to investigators.

Like two of the four planes that were hijacked that day, the Kennedy plane was a Boeing 767, and like all four, it was scheduled for a transcontinental flight. Its scheduled departure time, 8:30, was within the time range of the four hijacked flights.

The question of whether hijackers had intended to take over more than four flights on Sept. 11 has been the subject of confused speculation in the last few days. On Wednesday, the head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Jane F. Garvey, said in a speech that her agency's quick grounding of commercial air traffic nationwide had thwarted other hijackings. But later in the day she said she had no evidence of other planned attacks and was relying partly on news reports of knives being found on other airplanes.

Other flights using Boeing 757's and 767's are under scrutiny because all four planes hijacked were of those two models. On the morning of Sept. 11, when the number of planes hijacked was still not clear, federal officials took a quick count of 757's and 767's still airborne and told air- traffic controllers to watch them for any unusual behavior.

In the days after Sept. 11, rumors and reports have swept the F.A.A. and airlines about possible additional targets, including an Air Canada flight scheduled to go from Toronto to La Guardia Airport, and an American Airlines flight at Kennedy waiting to take off for London, although the evidence for those cases appears to be circumstantial.

The Air Canada plane was scheduled to fly from Toronto to La Guardia but was caught on the ground by the closing of American airspace. On Sept. 14, when the plane was scheduled to fly to Calgary, Alberta, a passenger spotted two knives in an overhead baggage compartment.

But speaking to reporters in Washington on Tuesday, Herb Gray, the deputy prime minister of Canada, said that it was not clear when the knives were put on the plane, and that "they weren't the big box cutters" believed to be used by the hijackers of the other planes.

An Air Canada spokesman described them as "X-acto-type knives," saying that they had small, retractable blades.

The Air Canada plane was impounded by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but then released. It was an Airbus A-320, which is considerably smaller than the 757's and 767's that were hijacked, and has a far different control system.

Some aviation officials also believe that American Airlines Flight 142, which was due to take off from Kennedy for London at 8:30 a.m. on Sept. 11, was also a target.

That plane was delayed at the gate when the cockpit crew asked for a mechanic to check a valve in an engine. When a delay was announced, one passenger asked to leave, so the cabin door was opened for him and closed again. Then, according to aviation officials, a second passenger also demanded to leave, and became "rude and indignant" when the door could not be opened immediately.

A cockpit crew member wanted to alert the F.B.I. immediately but did not know the passenger's name, the officials said. The flight attendants knew the man's identity, but they had been escorted out of the airport with the passengers.

That plane was a Boeing 777, which would have had an explosive force similar to a 767, but has a slightly different cockpit from the planes that were hijacked.

* * *

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO INTERVIEW 5000 FOREIGN MEN

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGANA9A10UC.html

Nov 13, 2001

Justice Department Wants to Interview 5,000 Foreign Men as Part of Terrorism Investigation
By Karen Gullo
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department wants to talk to 5,000 young male foreigners who entered the country from Middle Eastern and other countries as part of the terrorism investigation, officials said Tuesday.

A list of 5,000 names was being distributed to federal prosecutors around the country who were ordered to work with state and local police to locate and interview the men, said Justice Department spokeswoman Mindy Tucker. The interviews would be voluntary, she said.

The men are not suspects, said Tucker, but "people who we think might be helpful" in assisting authorities investigating the Sept. 11 attacks and possible new attacks.

"They could be witnesses, we won't know until we talk to them," said Tucker.

The names were compiled from immigration and State Department records of foreigners who sought entry into the country since Jan. 1, 2000 on tourist, student and business visas. Only men aged 18 to 33 with nonimmigrant visas and a U.S. address went on the list.

Tucker declined to name which countries the immigrants to be questioned came from but said the list of nations would include those that have surfaced in investigations of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida organization. Countries that have been way stations for the Sept. 11 hijackers and other terrorists would be on the list.

A number of the 19 hijackers from the Sept. 11 attacks entered the United States from Europe and some obtained visas in Saudi Arabia.

Tucker did not have details about what questions the foreigners would be asked but said they would not be questioned about their religious beliefs and practices. They can decline to be questioned but authorities hope they will cooperate.

"We've allowed them to come into this country and we expect them to help," said Tucker.

* * *

IF NEW YORK IS NUKED - From: "Brad Derouen"
Date: Fri, 09 Nov 2001 09:01:55 -0000
Subject: [B2K] IF NEW YORK IS NUKED

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2001/11/8/183127.shtml
If New York Is Nuked
Christopher Ruddy / Friday, Nov. 9, 2001
With all of the talk, some very serious from President Bush, about terrorists getting and using weapons of mass destruction against Americans, one would think the public should be prepared in case such a weapon is used. This past week, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said emphatically that if the terrorist groups get a nuclear bomb, they will detonate it in New York.

So, let's suppose a suitcase nuke is detonated in Manhattan. What should the civilians living in and around New York do? Should they flee outside the city? Should they run to their basements? It's also evident that an ounce of preparation now will do much more than pounds of after-the-fact rescue efforts.

For some strange reason, our government is very reluctant to prepare its citizens for such a calamity, though acknowledging that such a calamity is not only possible, it's probable.

Certainly the best defense against the use of such weapons should take place in intelligence and with our spies infiltrating terrorist networks. We discovered on Sept. 11, however, that thanks to Bill Clinton, America no longer has any real intelligence about these groups.

The next layer of defense against such an attack is to hold the governments behind these terrorists accountable – but it's not clear that will be the case. Consider how difficult it has been to find the responsible party for the anthrax attacks. With our "perimeter" defenses weak, it's even more critical that Americans prepare for adequate civil defense. Civil defense is just that: defense prepared by citizens.

Recently I was out on the West Coast and had dinner with Nancy Greene. Nancy, the widow of the late actor Lorne Green, is president of The American Civil Defense Association (TACDA). TACDA is a great organization that has raised alarm bells about the need for civil defense for decadesNancy, a smart lady who has a keen understanding of international affairs and national security, gave me a brief history of civil defense in America.

She said that real interest in civil defense first started with President Kennedy. After his first summit with Khrushchev in 1961, Kennedy was convinced the Russians were planning a nuclear attack on the U.S. He returned from his summit in a funk and became a hermit for three days. He then emerged from his silence with a plan. If America was going to survive, and millions of lives were to be saved, we would need a civil defense program. But Kennedy decided the Pentagon should not be involved. Instead, Kennedy called upon a friend on Madison Avenue to launch an education effort on how citizens could protect themselves in case of such an attack.

The campaign worked, and was prescient as the nuclear tensions rose during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Since those days, America has let down its guard. We felt protected during the Cold War under an umbrella of nuclear-tipped missiles and a powerful military. Our enemy was definable. But now, terrorists are not so easily definable and they are not so afraid of retaliation, as the Russians were.

Once again, government and the private sector need to go into partnership to educate citizens on how to create emergency disaster plans for their families. Extra food and water is a foundation of any planning. But how many American families have more than a week's supply, if that, on hand? It's also critical for citizens to have access to potassium iodide, necessary to prevent an agonizing death if radioactive iodine gets into the thyroid. But how many people know this? Why doesn't the government have a stockpile of potassium iodide?

Perhaps a start would be for us to to discard Hollywood myths. A nuclear detonation does not mean the end of the world. The worst effects will likely not be caused by a nuclear blast, but rather by citizens unprepared and unknowledgeable about how to survive such a calamity.

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