I don't equate patriotism with blindly following the leader. To me, patriotism is not blind and unthinking loyalty to one's government. The whole premise of the United States is - supposedly - that governments often do overstep themselves, abuse their power, oppress their people and (in extreme situations) even deserve to be overthrown. I agree with that premise which removed the yoke of the British crown from the American colonies.

To me, patriotism is loyalty to one's *country*. And blind unthinking loyalty to one's government is not always what is best for one's country. The men who resigned from Nixon's administration understood that distinction.

I am not happy about either the current administration or the rush to stoke public passions in order to create support for a war. There should be justice. But justice is not always achieved through war. In fact, it is often very much the opposite.

Bin Laden's network should be dealt with, and bin Laden himself put on trial and subsequently punished. If he is guilty of these crimes, that punishment should be death. The same should apply to all his chief lieutenants and accomplices.

A world war on terrorism is not necessary. I suspect that as usual this war will do more harm than good. But I suppose we - like bin Laden's own followers - must tell ourselves the ends justify the means, that ours is a true crusade, a holy war called for by our most cherished beliefs.

We can tell ourselves that, but not all of us will believe it.

Thanks for the perspective from Europe. It's shocking sometimes for Americans to learn there are other points of view out there. And it's even more shocking to find included among those viewpoints the possibility that the American government can be wrong and can do wrong.