NYC Terrorist Attacks

UPDATE ON MY PREVIOUS MESSAGE (BELOW). Most of Manhattan is settling into an eerie semi-stupor as the initial impact wears down. I've never seen the streets so empty of traffic even at 4 am. Reports are that many, many fire, police, and emergency workers were caught in the collapse of the two towers, in addition to thousands who were still inside.

If this is not an act of war, what is??? If this is not a major national security catastrophe, what is??? Yet, we are already hearing from imbecilic liberals (Mario Cuomo, Kofi Annan, et al) who would have the US stay its hand. Thousands of Palestinians, Egyptians, and Pakistanis are seen celebrating in the streets, giving out candy in joy and firing guns in the air.

We need to form a steely resolve in the country to avenge these slaughters (yes, foolish liberals, vengeance can be a morally justified course of action) and clean out the terrorist cesspools as fully as possible.

Just imagine if there had been nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons involved in these attacks - I would not be alive to be writing to you and millions of our fellow citizens would also be dead.

As to idiots who think this has no bearing upon debates about missile defense, THINK AGAIN. This shows the urgent need (though we already knew) for improved defenses at every level. First, there COULD be a missile attack on the US at some point and it is criminal not to do all we can to prepare to fight one off. Second, much improved AEGIS-type anti-missile systems (such as are already on some of our Navy ships) are needed so they can be deployed around at least the most likely and vulnerable targets.

It's a war, and we're far from adequately prepared to fight it. It's like 1941 all over again, except this time the enemy is more dispersed, more insidious, and as despicable as any we've ever faced.

But it appears that THOUSANDS upon THOUSANDS of our neighbors, colleagues, and fellow citizens are dead. People in our office could watch much of the disaster unfold from our office windows -- first it appeared that there was a massive fire in one of the World Trade Center towers, and then all hell broke loose. Now both towers have collapsed, and thousands (estimates are at 10,000+) are missing and presumed dead. Pearl Harbor involved somewhat over 2,000 deaths and was specifically targeted against military, not civilian targets. This is the worst, most despicable affront in US history.

Needless to say, all police, emergency, and hospital staffs in NYC are on maximum alert and response.

I've tried to give blood several times this morning, but the response from fellow citizens is so great that the line continues to loop far around the block, so I keep going back.

The only hopeful thing through this unbelievable disaster is how well people on the streets responded. Everyone seems to be pulling together, helping out where possible, and the emergency services (so far as I can tell) have been terrific.

As the initial crises begin to be managed, and as we take stock of the thousands of casualties, we will begin to discuss appropriate counter-measures.

Reports are that this was the work of Osama Bin Laden's gang. What I say to that is,

IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH TERRORIST SNAKEPIT IN PARTICULAR PRODUCED THIS CARNAGE, WE SHOULD TAKE THIS AS AN APPROPRIATE OCCASION TO CONDUCT MASSIVE COUNTER-STRIKES AGAINST ALL KNOWN TERRORISTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST!!!!!!!!!

Osama Bin Laden, Quaddafi, Hussein, Iran, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Taliban, etc.

Radical Islam has long since declared war on us, and it is time to adopt a "scorched earth" policy for awhile. I know we can't get every one of the terrorist vermin, and yes, attacking them will probably help create new terrorists, but this is too great a slaughter to allow our insipid liberals to come to the fore and blather about "dialogue" and "meetings" and "violence never solves anything."

First, untie Israel's hands and let them take out every known terrorist they care to go after. They're much better at it than we are and will at least get much of the PLO, Hamas, and Islamic Jihad. Then, we annihilate every possible military and terrorist target in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Iran, etc.

We have been far too passive for far too long. Granted, there is not complete and final victory in this insidious type of war, but we can do one hell of a lot of damage to many terrorist organizations.

Let's do it. NOW. Freepers can help set the stage. It's time for an all-out campaign to demand appropriate action. NOW. Thousands upon thousands are dead in this city due to a terrorist assault upon civilians. Now we know (we should have known before) what Israel has to face every day. No known Islamic terrorist should be safe on this earth, from this day forward.

Untie the hands of the Serbian People also and stop the Clintonista to cover his ass arming and support of the Hezebollah/Hamas/Laden terrorists and drug-dealing thugs known as the KLA..... just last week Britain...yes "our ally" Britain and Clintonista Buddy Blair was caught supplying fresh NEW arms to the KLA !!! These are the same terrorists who now operate openly here. Clinton emboldened them by bombing our ally Yugoslavia for OUR ENEMY the KLA. Then the KLA/MuslimTerrorists got cocky and invaded Dagestan and Chechyna too and Putin kicked their ass. China bankrolls the scum. Now , if we're smart we'll see Putin's message of grief and understanding as genuine and unite with Russia to kick hell out of the Muslim SlimeBalls that Clinton liked to cozy with on the side to give him cover.

Amen, Enchente. We here in the middle of the bean fields can't truly understand what you're going through, even watching on TV, but our hearts go out to you and our prayers are offered up for you. It affects us all - even state of Illinois workers were sent home early. And all of us have to try to figure out how to explain to our kids why life as they have known has ceased to exist. It's time to forget whether we're on the left or the right and just be strong courageous Americans!

I first came into my living roon to hear that a plane crashed into the WTC. Well, that might happen by chance, then I heard that two planes had hit the center, plus the Pentagon. We are not in the realm of coincedence any longer.

My first response was to be armed. After a brief reconsideration of my geographic position in mid-America, fairly remote from a population center, I abandoned that urge and just watched the incredible (and I mean incredible) news that continued to filter in (on FoxNews).

I wonder how many had the same urge as I did - a basic urge or response to be armed in order to protect person and property from harm?

Anyone else feel (instinctively) the same gut feeling that I experienced? Just curious.

Forgive me Lord for saying this if I'm wrong, but you're beginning to sound more like an advertisement to rile up Freepers to do stupid things, than a concerned New Yorker keeping us informed about this catastrophe. Are there hundreds of police on the scene like after the OKC bombing? How can there be no one on the streets, not even those with minor injuries, running hysterically from the scene? Are there cadaver-sniffing dogs there yet? Is St. Paul's Cathedral still standing? How about the Hotel across from the World Finance Building? Please?

Like I said, forgive me Lord...

I'm not in NYC, but I've been in that area several times. Most of the questions you ask are not answerable with certainty, since no civilians are close enough to observe.

St. Pat's is far away from WTC, and should be fine.

7 WTC is now reported to have collapsed. 47 stories.

3, 4, 5, and 6 WTC are all smaller and closer than 7 WTC. I fear the worst for all of them. If there has been no definite news, it's probably because all these buildings are simply buried. I'm hopeful that all were evacuated before the towers collapsed, but there wasn't much time. 3 WTC is the Marriot Hotel.

What's your point? Your remarks are imbecilic beyond belief.

I was not referring primarily to the blocks immediately around the WTC, since the entire city below 42nd St. is closed to all but emergency workers and local inhabitants. But, looking downtown from 42nd St. this evening I saw sights I'd never seen before, including nearly-empty avenues. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Lexington, Park, Madison, 5th, 6th, 7th, Broadway, 8th, 9th, Avenues, etc. All empty except for emergency vehicles moving around town. This city's life has been brought to a standstill, and thousands are dead. DO YOU EVEN GIVE A S---??? I thought not.

I've been all over mid-town and the Upper East and Upper West this evening, and some people were walking and riding bicycles along the middle of NY's major avenues b/c there was so little traffic.

Anyway, what's your point? I really don't care what YOU do, since you sound like too big a moron to help in any way, but I thought that Freepers who haven't been unfortunate enough to experience the aftermath of a massive terrorist event would like to know that one of the great cities of the world (for all its many faults) has been brought to a standstill, with THOUSANDS killed.

After we bury and pray for our dead, what are we going to do about this? Perhaps you'd be happier living in Afghanistan or Iraq, with your fellow morons.

May God be with you and all New Yorkers who are undergoing this horrific catastrophe. I give a rat's *ss because my son works in NYC and had a 10am appt this morning across the street from the WTC and your rant about who was *responsible* for this uncomprehensible act didn't seem appropriate to me at the time. I wanted information, not a lecture, so please forgive me for not being in your head at the time I commented on your post. As to what am I doing? I offered phone service to New Yorkers and I plan on donating blood if they'll accept it. But most of all I've been praying all day for God to be with those who are crying out to Him right now. For the Lord to give them peace and strength to endure what they're going through. Please accept my apology.

JusticeLives in Virginia

Thank you for this post. I can see I made unfair assumptions, and I hope you will accept my heartfelt apology for my last post.

I hope you can understand that I was not exactly in a very calm state, since from my window this morning I saw huge buildings explode and collapse upon thousands of people today. My sister-in-law is a Doctor in one of the major NY hospitals and is dealing with this round-the-clock (as are so many fire, police, and emergency workers, a good number of whom are now dead in the towers' collapse). Of course, I realize that I'm one of the lucky ones, since witnessing the tragedy is nowhere near as bad as being caught in the midst of the carnage, and at least my immediate friends and family are alive, so I am not asking for any sympathy -- only some understanding of why I was not my usual cheerful self when posting today.

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