PASSENGERS AND CREW OF AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHTS 11, & 77,

UNITED AIRLINES FLIGHT 93, & 175

THE MEN AND WOMEN WORKING IN, AND VISITING THE WORLD TRADE CENTER,

THE MILITARY AND CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES OF THE PENTAGON,

AND THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE FIGHTERS, POLICE OFFICERS AND EMT'S,

ALL OF WHOM LOST THEIR LIVES

WHEN TERRORISTS DECLARED WAR ON AMERICA.

The opinion expressed is that of Lynn O'Shea, Editor of Bits `N' Pieces and is in no way intended to represent the opinion of the National Alliance of Families or its members.

An Editorial: On September 11, 2001, the United States of America was attacked, by a band of cowards. This attack was an act of War. America must respond with full force. Some ask who is the enemy. There were no symbols on the planes used, that would identify them as belonging to an enemy. There were no Rising Suns' only American Flags. This enemy spans the globe, living in small groups known to very few.

So, who is our enemy? The enemy is every terrorist on the face of this earth. Any individual who supports Bin Laden, in action, word or deed is our enemy. Any nation that gives aid and comfort to Bin Laden or his supporters is our enemy. No country, no political group, no sect can sit on the sidelines of this war. From this day forward, the world must know, you are America's friend or you are our enemy. There is no middle ground.

America must attack Bin Laden and his supporters. We must attack terrorist training camps, no matter where they are located. My enemies friend is now my enemy. This will not be the "Zero Casualty" efforts, we have seen in the previous 8 years. We must be prepared for that. We must ask ourselves the question, do we have the stomach for a long, bloody and sustained effort?

More Military personnel will die. More innocent civilians will die. Planes will be shot down and men and woman will be taken prisoner. Men and woman will go missing. The sight of flag draped coffins will, once again dominate the news. We have to ask ourselves do we have the stomach for this? Will the American public and its Politicians stay the course when the going gets bad, and if the correct course of action is taken it will get very bad?

Having asked the questions, I will tell you I do not have the stomach for this. I do not want this. But this was brought to my doorstep. I watched one tower get hit and I watched, from my office windows as concrete dust filled the New York skyline as the two towers fell. There is not a person in New York City who was not in someway touched by this attack. Everyone in this city either had someone in the towers, or knows someone who had someone in the tower or has been in someway affected by the attack. The magnitude of the World Trade Center attack has overshadowed the attack on the Pentagon, and the attack thwarted by the heroic passengers of United Flight 93, particularly Mark Bingham, Todd Bremer, Thomas Burnett, and Jeremy Glick who decided the body count stopped with United Flight 93. In all probability, their actions saved the White House or some other Washington DC target.

An enemy of the United States launched four missiles, in an unprovoked attack, on our very way of life. That those missiles came in the form of hijacked American aircraft makes a despicable act even more heinous. We must act.

Do I have the stomach for this, no, but action needs to be taken. I support a strong military response and understand this could be a long sustained mission. I hope everyone else understands this. There can be no half measures in this war.

Having been critical of this and previous administrations regarding the POW/MIA issue, for many years, I want it clearly known I support the decisions of the President. I support his actions in this matter and as long as his goal is the permanent removal of all terrorists, he has my complete support. I am in this for the duration. I pray for the first casualties of this war. I pray for the men and women who will fight this war. I pray for the rescue workers and I pray for a miracle.

Finally, the best message I can send to the cowards who perpetrated this act, comes from an email circulating the internet, titled: "An Open Letter To A Terrorist" it begins: "Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. You hit the Pentagon, but you missed America. You used helpless American bodies, to take out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you still missed America."

The letter end by saying, to the terrorists: "Sleep tight, if you can. We're coming" to that I add, with the support of this American.