Having been to the World Trade Organization on numerous occasions, I find myself completely stunned by the events. To imagine that gigantic building full of people simply gone is just horrifying.
At the same time, the civilized world seems to have come together to join the United States in what may become a coordinated crusade to eradicate terrorism. Such a thing seems impossible but consider this:
If the United States and the world community can retaliate in such sufficient force, then political terrorists will have to weigh their goals versus the inevitable response. History has shown that massive retaliation does work. As barbaric has it has been in history, it was an effective means of keeping terrorism under control. Terrorism has always been with us and will be. But perhaps if the proper response can be achieved, it can be seen in the same light that we see nuclear weapons, that terrorism is so horrible and the consquences of it so painful, that it won't be used as a political tool.
Of course, this all assumes that there was a political ends being sought in some sick way rather than simply pure madness.
NATO has activated article 5. This has never been done. This means that NATO considers what has occurred as an act of war. This means Germany, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, etc. all consider this attack as an attack on themselves and will respond accordingly. It is unprecedented.
Whoever did this, wherever they are, I do not think they realize the whirlwind they have just sewn.
What do you think?