[Eastbound]

"This is the correct way to deal with the problem. Make the terrorists live in fear, not the innocent."

Yes. Their families, friends and enablers as well. The Islam community would be doing the nation and themselves a great service by routing out these crazies before they strike. There will be damn few in America who will be able to say 'Islam is a religion of peace' without choking on the words if the Islam community doesn't act to prevent an attack. The terrorists are not operating in a vacuum, and it is foolish to believe that the terrorists are the only ones who know who they are and what they plan to do.

[MadeInOhio]

Secretary Ridge says the current threat-climate eclipses all others post-9/11/01. I hope he's wrong.

If not, however; if Islamofascists exploit a security weakness to perpetrate a crime that overshadows 9/11, it will be a terrible day for America.

And, henceforth, a terrible life for American Muslims.

As Eastbound noted, no more religon-of-peace platitudes will be accepted. No more will political correctness intimidate. Should Osama and his cohorts drop a supersized version of 9/11 on the U.S., domestic Muslims will absorb a portion of the consequent fury. Right or wrong, it will happen.

So Eastbound's advice to the Muslim community is sound. Followers of Allah ought to rat out any mass-murderers-in-waiting of whom of they're aware.

I remember in 1979 after the Tehran hostage incident began. In certain venues, it wasn't safe to be identified as an Iranian and show yourself in public.

We lost 3,000 lives on 9/11/01. If terrorists pull off a demonic coup that claims anywhere from 30,000 lives to 300,000, it won't be safe to be indentified as a Muslim and show yourself in public.

Furthermore, widespread clamor will compel President Bush to respond to the atrocity with swift, blanket vengeance more in character with the Roman Empire than the American republic.

It won't be pretty. That's why I pray Ridge's fears are groundless.