Letters: Sep. 6, 2004

Al-Qaeda in America

"If we keep our eyes and ears open, pay attention to and report suspicious activity, we can all play a part in fighting terrorism." LYNETTE CARRINGTON Gilbert, Ariz.

I was disappointed to see al-Qaeda's latest "threat" to the U.S. as TIME's cover story [Aug. 16]. It seems as though every time the government hiccups, the media jump in to play on America's paranoia about another terrorist strike. So the government is saying that al-Qaeda will attack, just like on the Fourth of July and this past New Year's and all last year and before that? I'm not holding my breath. ALLAN WEIR Nashville, Tenn.

President Bush is right on target. Terrorists are our biggest threat. Forget worrying about the economy. That won't matter if we allow terrorists to destroy our nation. ROSEMARY STOCK Strongsville, Ohio

Highly sensitive information about possible terrorist attacks, regardless of the public interest, should be revealed only on a need-to-know basis. And that need should be determined by the ability to do something about the threat. BEN THOMPSON Marietta, Pa.

Saddam Hussein was a very evil person, and I'm glad we forced him out of power. But shouldn't our focus be on the man who started it all? I can't figure out why we haven't captured Osama bin Laden long before now. We've been so involved with getting Iraq back on track that bin Laden and al-Qaeda are getting ready to attack us again. So once more we're all on pins and needles, because we don't know when or where or how. PATRICIA JONES Reston, Va.

Since the invasion of Iraq, there seem to be more terrorist cells. Anti-American sentiment has reached an all-time high around the world, and President Bush is largely responsible for that. I don't think creating hundreds of new terrorists every day is an effective policy for dealing with terrorism. DOUGLAS E. MCCULLEY Virginia Beach, Va.

How many times have we heard that al-Qaeda wants to pull off an attack in the U.S. before the elections in November? Terrorists carried out coordinated bombings in Madrid on March 11, and the Spanish candidate challenging the Prime Minister in the March 14 election--the candidate whom terrorists surely preferred--won. Ask yourself which candidate al-Qaeda wishes to become the next U.S. President--and why. PHYLLIS M. RAMOS Calumet, Mich.

I wish the media would just shut up! With your rants about even the remote possibility of bombings, you are doing exactly what the terrorists want you to do: instill uncertainty in American lives. Enough, already! The risk of attacks is a price we Americans must assume--and pay. We must respond to these risks with standard precautions and watchful waiting. Then, if the unthinkable occurs, we will deal with it. We should behave the way our law-enforcement and natural-disaster personnel do: quietly, efficiently--without alarming the public with color codes and "special reports." TONY DIBIASIO Surprise, Ariz.

The Center Cannot Hold?