I'm going to write an article for my college student magazine, and would like to hear from people around the world, and especially americans. I'd like to know how you feel, and if you have family in New York/Washington area, and what actions you belive should be made against those behind this terrorist attack.

Any comments would be greatly appreciated, and I do hope that some of you might take the time to write about your instant reactions when you heard about what was going on.

I may choose to publish what you write without editing, please say if you don't want me to do this, but I'd still like to hear your reactions.

I do hope that everyone are ok, and that family and friends you may have in those areas attacked are ok.

Norway stand behind any actions that will be taken against those responsible, and I would like to express my support to all americans, and say that I can feel sorry for what has happened. I'm saddened by what has happened, and the past few days have not been normal for me on the emotional level, I often feel the tears in my eyes, for reasons I don't understand fully.

I hope that everyone take care of themselves and their loved ones in this time of horror.

Love,
Kahno

Kahno,

You are welcome to use my initial posting under "World Trade Center" if it would be any use to you.

Personally I believe that is a bit cheap to just kill innocent people if you feel anger towards a government or regime. It is although not a simple situation in a way that you can just pinpoint who actually is responsible for this attack. In my opinion the USA has the right though to take whatever precautions they feel necessary to punish the once who did this. Having the luxury of a high tec army it possible to take specific action against them.

Dear Kahno,

As I watched the continuous television news coverage beginning Tuesday morning I remember my first reaction as being total disbelief. I tuned in the broadcasts a couple of minutes after the second plane hit the other WTC Tower. And news reporters were coming to the realization: “This is NOT a coincidence. Something is going on here!” And then…when it was reported that a 3rd plane had dived into the Pentagon, the truth was clear. We’re under ATTACK!! Who? What? Why?

As I sat looking at very familiar landmarks in flames there was a certain surreal quality to it all. I grew up on television in the 50’s and throughout the morning I had conflicting thoughts: “This can’t be real. This can’t be happening. This must be, well, this must be television.” But it WAS real. It WAS happening. And mixed with that sense of disbelieve and shock, there began to enter a feeling of anger. Not so much with whoever was doing this to us, but with our government for allowing it to happen.

You see, the last time anything, even remotely, like this happened was at Pearl Harbor in 1941. And Hawaii (a U.S. territory at the time) was still thousands of miles from the U.S. mainland. The only times previous to that when a foreign entity successfully attacked the U.S. mainland was in 1917, when Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa crossed into Columbus, New Mexico and killed a few citizens, and in 1813 when our British cousins, in a spate of ill-humor marched into Washington D.C. and burned the White House and a couple of other buildings. But on the whole we Americans have had the good fortune to feel secure against foreign invasion or attack on our country. This is why the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001 come as such a shock to all of us.

So with all our technology, with all our satellites and our C.I.A. and our F.B.I. and our N.S.A. and a bunch of other letters from the alphabet, how could this be allowed to happen? Then…slowly…inevitably came the thought: Who did this, and what are we going to do about it? As the hours wore on, and then became days, and as pieces of the puzzle were beginning come together, there was a growing feeling of outrage and frustration. Outrage, that SOMEBODY had used our own democratic traditions, our own freedoms to successfully attack us. Outrage that it was our own commercial aircraft that were the weapons of choice.

And then…frustration. Forget nuclear weapons for a moment. In terms of conventional weaponry the President of the United States is the Commander in Chief of the most destructive military capability on the face of the planet. And nowhere to direct it. The feeling of helplessness as we patiently wait for our investigative efforts to prove out what so many have surmised from the beginning. Frustration that, like other western nations, we have sat for years pretending that certain terrorist organizations who have publicly sworn to destroy us would somehow fail to find the means. That we would be able to intercept the terrorists at the borders before they could do us harm, while ignoring the source of those terrorists out of some sort of misguided sympathy for those with a gripe. Even after the World Trade Center bombing in 1994, when we KNEW who ordered those bombs…holding back because…well, you know. We wouldn’t want the rest of the world to think poorly of us, now would we? We wouldn’t want anyone else to think we were bullies. And then sitting in front of a television watching the twin towers of the WTC collapse upon those still trapped in them, and the rescue workers desperately trying to free them…frustration. Frustration at knowing that hundreds, probably thousands of our fellow citizens were dead and dying because the U.S. was too correct, too legalistic, too…too nice to do what it should have done years ago. Frustration that our government was, apparently, more concerned with world opinion than with the protection of it’s citizens and sovereign integrity.

But finally, there is a feeling of hope and encouragement. Throughout the trauma of this devastating attack Americans are united. Politicians who, the week before, were at each other’s throats, standing arm-in-arm singing patriotic songs. Government leaders, who, the week before, would have wished for George Bush’s head on a platter, now publicly declaring themselves in complete support of the President of the United States and pledging their assistance in whatever way they can.

If our government leaders are sincere in what they tell us. If they mean what they say, there is going to come a day of retribution. Those who have attacked us are going to pay the price for their decisions. But if the United States and it’s allies will hold the course, and do what they know MUST be done, there will be hardship, there will be destruction, there will be those who condemn us for our actions. But when it is over, we, and our allies, and the greater portion of the world will be able to sleep a little better at night. But it will take continued vigilance. We Americans have such sort memories. We’re so naïve. We get done with the battle and we think it’s over. We lay down our weapons, and forget that we’ve done this before, again and again. We sit and wait for the next “Day of Infamy” and then act surprised when it actually happens. Maybe this time we’ll remember that the battle is never really over; that those who value freedom must always be on guard and ready to act against those who would destroy it. Maybe this time.

Thank you for your interest,

Ray

I, as an american hold the cowards responsible and accountable for their actions. If they would have attacked a military installation I would not bat an eye. Our military should be prepared for a direct attack (on A military installation) and not the trade centers with innocent civilians. Our country in the past has made great strides to minimize civilian causualties in past war efforts. I believe our country must never live in a state of fear, That defies the freedom of which we stand for. I expect my government, at all cost to find and bring to justice those responsible. I say at all cost because it may be our foundation of freedom at stake. If we lose our foundation of freedom, we my friend are finished. case in point, what would happen if the usa did not allow foreign countries to see the newyork stock exchange and/or participate ever again? I believe it is about time to see who are friends (allies) really are. The team we have, (Powell, Chenney, Shelton, Roumsfeld, and others) are well versed and at least we would know for sure which countries stand with us. That in itself is worth alot!

quote:

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you can quote this if you like, better the military than turning the people of this great country lose.our military will take time and plan a civil response. The people would get the job done very fast and civilians might be collateral damage beyond the military objectives

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[ September 13, 2001: Message edited by: Matt-Host ]

I feel sick. I see the words that everyone has written here and..I can't summon them. For three days this is what I've lived, spoken, watched and breathed. I don't have anything left to say. It's heartbreaking.

My heart is heavy. There are so many mixed emotions inside of me that are incomprehensible to myself and cannot be put into words. I too have lived and breathed this tragedy since the day it happened due to my military ties. If you would like to hear about my story, I posted a bit under "We know who the enemy is"

Blessings

Dear Citizens of the USA,
My heart breaks for your lost .
As we looked in horror at the World Trade Center being demolished
We couldn't believe our eyes .. Hoping against hope it was not
happening ...
My country is Canada one of the closes neighbors of the USA .
Our flags are flying at half mast in sympathy of your great loss .
We as Canadians are to complacent at times , we think we are "safe"
lets give our head a shake !!
The only reason we are so darn smug about it is because we have
a " Big Brother " protecting our boarders to the south of us .
I have been watching the tragedy unfold since it happened , I have
see the courage and the rally around the US Flag as a nation undivided
and invincible ...
I have read the article Gordon Sinclair wrote about the USA he is
right on the money ... Lets see who is willing to pay back the USA for
all they have done around the world in their time of need .
God Bless America

This has been a hard week. I appreciate the kind words from those in other countries. Being an ex military member and part of Desert shield/storm, I have to say I am disapointed in our country for not knowing about this and stopping it. I look forward to the day that we all stop and look back on this as a day of rememberence. Right now it is all so sureal and for one reason. THIS IS AMERICA. Our great nation tries to help out so many other countries that it comes down to not being able to please everyone. The USA, one of the younger countries on a world map, and just look at what we have done in 225 years. Now look at the countries that have been around for thousands and thousands of years. Where would the world be without the USA. Would it have destroyed it self already? This is not meant as a shunt to countries that also believe in our ideals. But even after an attack of the magnatude on Tuesday, we still remain the strongest country in the world. We will fight back, no we won't take out an entire country and we won't intrude on another countries ideals, but there will be a price paid, and it won't be on innocent civilians. And why? Because we are AMERICA. Sorry for the rambling, but I am still furious.

I have always been a peaceful person. I would rather take the time to catch a bug and put it outside rather then to kill it. But I think that I could blow the head off of whoever it is that was behind this!

CP

I feel that it is and always will be tragedy to America especially for the people who lost there lives , and jobs.

Sad. I just feel very sad. I think bad stuff is coming.

I want to get right with my God and myself. I think we all need to. Isn't that why America was started in the first place?

I'm Italian so excuse my bad english.
Well, I think attack was an action of war, not just terroristic attack.
My first think was a question "who did attack?".
Then I give me the answers. I think that only people sure of win a war can try be a war. I'm not islamic but I think isn't islamic to move attack, 'couse they haven't possibility of win.
I think another enemy remaine in concealment, that enemy is sure of win...becouse he isn't a war, possible he just see the other are a war. I'm worry...but I'm with America! desertoblu@virgilio.it