This circumstance was thrust upon all of us but most of all on President Bush. He must rise to the occasion. Already, the FBI has executed some search warrants in Florida. They've found what appears to be the hijacker's car at Logan. Evidence is being gathered to determine who was responsible for this attack. Unfortunately for us impatient Americans, it could take weeks or even longer to find out who committed these crimes. It might take even longer to actually locate the physical bodies of those responsible. Last night, President Bush said exactly the right thing when he said that we will hold those who harbor terrorists just as responsible as the terrorists themselves. If Afghanistan wants to harbor bin Ladin, then we will go after them as well.

We're not alone in this. Already, other civilized nations realize just how vulnerable they are to the same kind of attacks. We have natural allies in this cause. It's up to Bush and his administration to work with these allies as we try to solve this problem. The ball is in Bush's court. It's up to him to prove he can lead. Excuses are for losers, and Americans don't care very much for losers. If Bush doesn't rise to the occasion, he doesn't deserve to retain his office. I personally think he will do fine but I expect results.