The United States must punish the organizations and/or individuals responsible for yesterday’s terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.

Wednesday, September 12, 2001

The United States must punish the organizations and/or individuals responsible for yesterday’s terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The punishment should be swift and punitive.

We must show the terrorists of the world that our nation will not allow its citizens to be killed and maimed with impunity. We must make the punishment so severe and so swift that other would-be terrorists will be deterred from planning another attack on our cities and government buildings.

Enough is enough.

We have been measured in our previous responses to terrorist attacks in Africa and Asia. We have not shown that we will hold accountable those fanatics who believe that killing the innocent is a way to further their cause.

Yesterday’s attacks prove that terrorists believe they can kill American citizens. We must disabuse them of that notion.

Had the terrorists survived their attacks and been taken into custody, our courts could have handled the task of meting out the proper punishment. In the case of the Oklahoma City bombing, our state and federal law enforcement agencies and the courts have shown that we will impose the ultimate penalty on those who kill innocent men, women and children while attacking the institutions of this great nation.

The faceless terrorists who planned yesterday’s attacks will never face trial in our courts because they are protected by rogue countries such as Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Iraq and Iran. Those countries that harbor these criminals should also feel the sting of America’s military might. We must

teach the leaders of these countries that harboring terrorists such as Osama bin Laden can only lead to disaster.

Punishment of terrorists is the only way to avenge the lives of those who were killed senselessly in yesterday’s attacks.

It is time to act. It is time to punish. Only then can we begin the long process of grieving and healing that comes after we bury our dead.