The World Trade Center Tragedy

Today is truly a sad day. Senseless killing, thousands of innocent lives lost. I really don't understand what political extremists hope to accomplish with such acts of terrorism. Do they in some misguided way think it will gain them the fear and respect of the United States? Do they think it will encourage people to join them in their cause?

Once the perpetrators have been identified, we will no doubt strike against them. In the process, some of their low-level conscripted soldiers, many probably not even truly aware of what they are fighting for, will be killed. There will most likely be civilian casualties too, an unavoidable fact of war. Blood will be shed on their soil to atone for the deaths in our country. And we'll get to watch it all on CNN, over and over. Just like the replay of the clip of the plane today, crashing, like a bullet, into the heart of the burning towers in New York.

Added below on 9/12/01:

I received feedback on the above (which I appreciate), saying it was kinda short, and seemed to send a mixed message. I re-read it this afternoon and I agree, it is short, and probably isn't as clear as it could have been. I guess I just wanted to put down my reactions, what I was feeling at the time. I decided to add a few more paragraphs below, hopefully to clarify what I wrote yesterday:

America will retaliate, we must, to show that we will not tolerate such actions. To show weakness in the face of terrorism would be a mistake. (Whether we really get any satisfaction out of it or not is another story.) Now don't get me wrong here, I feel no sympathy for the terorist perpetrators and leaders, but the point I wanted to make is that it's the little guys who will feel the brunt of our force when we retalliate.

Peasants brainwashed into fighting and dying for something they really have no clue about. And innocent civilians sometimes placed deliberately in the line of fire by fanatical leaders to create martyrs, for their own political gains. It sucks, but that's the way it is. In war, as in chess, pawns are sacrificed while those in power are protected. Maybe we'll get lucky this time and actually manage to take out Ben Laden, or whoever is proven to be behind this. It won't be easy, though. Most likely he is already deeply bunkered in, ready to ride out the coming storm.

My comment about being able to watch death and destruction "live" on CNN is just my cynical take on our media. I know that violence, like sex, sells product, and newscasters will continue to talk about a major event like this long after there is anything new to say. But I'm just as guilty as the rest of helping their ratings out. I mean, how many times do you have to view the same clips of the plane crashing into the building, the people crying in the streets? Yet I kept the TV on for hours yesterday. Watching, in horror and in fascination, like everyone else.