If the U.S. starts acting towards its own citizens like the dictatorships sheltering the terrorists; you get the U.S. self destructing in civil war.

I was amazed to learn that people had been allowed to carry knives on their persons on aircraft.
Such items must be in the baggage hold only.
Further, you could have an auto-lock door that means it is impossible for anyone to enter or leave the pilot area of the plane while it is flying. All necessary refreshment and facilities for pilots could be in the no-go zone.

The 40 billion could be used to deal with the 1500 people starving to death each day.

The terrorists used classic ju-jitsu- using the U.S.'s own strength against it (like a weak person can defeat a strong person by resisting them pushing in a door then suddenly giving way and the strong person crashes to the ground in surprise).

The terrorists got their 'weapons' from their adversary; planes and fuel and pilot training and slack security. The terrorists might be defeated by using 'weapons' they provide the U.S. with: the people pressure of the masses in their hiding countries (remember Berlin wall collapse/ Phillipine gov. collapse, etc.?) of the non-extremist Islamics who abhor violence.
The very people who hide them must be encouraged to abandon support for them.

Intelligence requires one look at the apparant strength of the terrorists- and have them fall due to that very strength.

Do the opposite of what they expect: do not retaliate. Official Islam does not approve of killing I hear- spend money building up the support base of those who persuade their Islamic citizens to reject violence.

• I don't know - stormcrow - September 16, 2001 - 23:45 UTC
  • I agree... - rggarfinkle - September 17, 2001 - 00:14 UTC