The FBI has received literally thousands of tips from foreigners on Al Queda types in their home countries. The government is forming a huge terrorist database which will be enormously useful in the future, with the INS new 21 day waiting period on Muslim males, for instance.

And we also depend on allies in every region of the world, for various forms of cooperation, use of bases, etc.

There's a need to toughen laws to protect ourselves, but we must be very careful about it, careful about our image in the world, careful to maintain our outstanding reputation as a nation welcoming good, hard-working immigrants.

I wouldn't go as far as Safire but he makes some good points.