Wars never happen by accident, nor are they ever free of politics. These attacks, sadly, have provided an opportunity for a resurgence of jingoism.

But the coasts are not 'reasonably safe.' Do you realize around 100 suitcase nukes are missing from the Soviet Union? I am forced to wonder if bin Laden, Saddam and the other members of the real-world version of SPECTRE have any of these items or not. It would not come as any surprise to learn that they do.

If they do, the next question becomes: Then why haven't these been used yet? Perhaps it's like any other game of strategy. You don't always lead with your highest trump in a card-game. Let's examine bin Laden & Co's strategy so far.

There was an attack on a barracks in Saudi Arabia. Then there were the attacks on the embassies. Then there was the attack on the USS Cole. I think bin Laden has been slowly escalating, almost testing. Blow up this, see what happens. Blow up that, see what happens. Etc. Attacks on US territory - which both embassies and the USS Cole technically are - overseas did not garner any devastating retribution.

So now it's been taken to the next level. But it can still be cranked up a notch. If bin Laden or some other party in the terrorist web wants to really push his luck, he can have a small boat with a nuke aboard make a fast approach on any coastal city. Miami has been suggested as a potential target.

Nor is any nuke is required. Saddam has a healthy arsenal of biological and chemical weapons. There is more than one way to take out a city. America's greatest city has already been struck a blow, but it's still standing. The next city that is hit may take far more damage.

Also, America really has four coasts - the two ocean coasts, plus the Gulf, plus the Great Lakes. Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo. The US and Canada share the longest undefended border in the world. Brace yourself: It's a lot easier getting into the US from that direction than, say, Mexico.

As for what the US is doing 'armed to the teeth,' America is now the dominant power on the planet and has been since well before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Britain had its day in the sun as the reigning military and economic world empire, and it seems clear that now it's America's turn. And has been ever since World War II. In the name of meeting another empire head on, America found itself in Korea and Vietnam, as well as other places. Now, in the post-Cold War era, America continues to play world cop in Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Indonesia. Oil is obviously too important to the world economy and its supply must be kept secure - thus the Persian Gulf War.

Your international approach to the problem has merit. Though I'm no fan of either Cheney or Bush, I must give them this much credit. While they are ready to go charging in with guns blazing, they are taking their time and gathering as much international compliance and cooperation as they can.

Does Bush want Armageddon? No. But he certainly wants a war. He has no wish to see bin Laden simply handed over without a shot being fired. Thus the ultimatums that were guaranteed to fail. Some Presidents choose war for a host of reasons. Some of those reasons can be cynical, even corrupt and based on the interests of a few at the cost of a great many blameless lives. The choices made by Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon with respect to Vietnam - given our 20/20 hindsight - could certainly have stood greater scrutiny. Should the Bush team try to avoid a similar costly failure? They should. But the decision has been made, and there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. Whether war has been declared officially or not makes absolutely no difference at this point. There will be war.

All that having been said, no, you're not alone. The US itself is a leading sponsor of terrorists in the world, though we never call them that. In fact, the US has been giving the Taliban support since the '80s. A case can be made that America is responsible, at least in part, for its current problems.

So, will this war on terrorism succeed? No. There will still be terrorism after it is over, and some of it will continue to enjoy quiet support from none other than the US. China certainly won't renounce using terrorists as pawns.

As for the ID cards, you'll get no argument from me. If I have to live in a country where I get to hear the phrase, 'Papers, please,' with any regularity, I have to start wondering where I am. South Africa? Soviet Union? The Germany of 60 years ago?

If we are willing to renounce the rights and freedoms of which we are so proud - which the terrorists have attacked - then bin Laden and his cohorts have won the biggest victory of all. And those who have laid down their lives in past wars in defense of those rights and freedoms must be turning over in their graves.