Jacko
You clearly have the ability to put into good words what some think, and carry a convincing argument. Respect to you for that. It is a shame, however that you lecture us on the use of inappropriate language and yet persist in using the term 'redneck' to describe those in America (ie 90%) who want to see someone taken to account.
As for cowardly, well, that's your opinion and I commend your ability to foretell what is going to happen in the next few months/years or whatever. Given your clear definition, where do you place those who get to launch precision guided weapons from relatively safely? They could,after all, in the cause of 'due process', refuse to follow orders?
You, kbf1 and others have reasoned quite well on what should not be done, but I remain unconvinced about your arguements as to what, exactly, should be done. Jacko, you say that you would, were the worst to happen to you, 'beat the crap' out of whoever was undeniably guilty, but from where I sit, that would still make you a thug and vigilante who was not satisfied with the actions of the law.
The 'enemy' isn't interested in due process and I cannot for the life of me work out what they actually and reasonably want. The US Embassies, USS Cole, WTC, the Pentagon, the abortive attack that was prevented by Joe Public (god bless them); what were they supposed to achieve? What was the strategic objective? Where was the negotiating position?
You talk about not understanding culture and clearly we do not. I firmly believe that the 'do nothing' option is not an option and waiting patiently for x nmuber of months/years for the evidence to mount up is not a player. There will be other terrorist attacks, within and outside of the US, regardless of what decisions are made by GWB. Therefore, I do not see it as an unreasonable assumption that any State that openly allows organizations to exist and train within their borders needs to be firmly discouraged from doing so, whatever form of discouragement that may be. Angles to address the money supply need to be taken too. The Taliban could actually stop all this by waking up and smelling the coffee, but I fear that unless we, the West, come round to their way of life, not just thinking, then we cannot expect a result there.
The press, if I may say so, have done very well at hyping all this up and have fought the war many times over the last few days. Is that right? The rubbish about what we have done, what could do and what we are going to do is not helping - but no-one complains about that. IMHO, there are things that need to be done in the coming months/years, and done they need to be. Due process? Fairness? Civil liberties? Morally courageous? Sorry mate - the other side is not listening.
As for President Tony, it is decision time. We have, as many have said on this thread, been the victims of terrorist attcks for too long, fighting that particular war with one hand tied behind our backs. If the Governement has any ounce of integrity and sense of duty, the 'War' needs to be fought in this country too.
Jacko et al, I respect your words, but your version of the way it will be does not provide the answer, IMHO, of course.