Before the attacks in New York and Washington, your administration quietly tolerated Saudi Arabian and Pakistani military and financial aid for the Taliban regime, even though it harbored terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden.

If there is a hero in these hard times it is the city of New York.

How do we recognize the evil in our midst? How do we truly fight it; indeed, exorcise it or cast out the devils in and around us, in order to move, however uncertainly, towards heaven rather than hell on earth?

In the unfortunate absence of any permanent international criminal court, the Security Council, following its own precedents, can quickly set up an ad hoc international criminal tribunal to try the accused.

A direct attack will only give credence to the message of hate that these fanatics have been spreading.

My gorgeous, magnificent, wonderful city has been abused and violated.

Looking for answers to the "why" will only increase the confusion, fear and a feeling of helplessness.

Afghanistan: "oh god your entire command structure is still intact and all we've done is really piss you off and oh god please don't nuke us, we're so sorry".

The enemy is fear, terror, and falsehood.

If the killers won, it is only temporary and just barely.

We will better serve the cause and be instruments of victory if the furrows of our brains are tilled by our betters and sewn with pap that will surely sprout jingoistic waves of ingrained obedience.

We must support the President totally in prosecuting retribution against those who took this unspeakable action against us all.

But today, the flags of my friends are flying, and today, I feel privileged and grateful to see it.