No doubt the World Trade Center was the target, and there is no doubt in my mind that toppling them was discussed in detail, but I seriously do doubt that nobody thought they would actually fall. That they did caused far more damage and killed far more people than even bin Ladin would have wanted. Putting the US on a clear path of righteous offence was never in their plans. They will not survive, and neither will their supposed ideals.

It's a thought.

Anyway, it appears he, or someone, some group(s), very like him succeeded. What is now seen in the eyes of the perpetrators is the fact that retaliation will be expected, and it will be fierce, and it will be unrelenting. The "cause" is now gone. This is not the goal of any terrorist.

And I really don't think Funk & Wagnall, New Collegiate, New World, or even Merriam-Webster should try to set any serious, in-granite definition to the term "terrorist", simply because these are not sane people, on any level. These are malicious villains who will stop at nothing to achieve a goal. Absolutely nothing.

"The unlawful use or threaten use of force or violence to intimidate or coerce societies or governments, often for ideological or political reasons."

And when this fails? The escalation of violence continues -- until there is nothing of anything left. "If I can't have what I want, you can't have what you want."

To hell with them. Just kill them -- now.

Dan