[geeks] My take

[Mike Dombrowski]

Expected deaths have ranged from 10-30,000. More people probably died 
than live in the city I live in. Consider that 55,000 Americans died in 
the whole of Vietnam. This is the highest loss of American lives on a 
single day ever. It is also quite possible that more American civilians 
were killed on this day than all of the rest of history put together as 
a result of terrorism or war. If it turns out to be bin Laden, who I 
think it is, then here is what I think should happen. 1. Give 
Afghanistan 24hours to hand him and his fellow terrorists over. 2. If 
that doesn't happen, go to war. Invade the country. Do NOT do simple 
surgical bombings. Invade and occupy their cities and land. Possible do 
this with Russia. I might even support the use of things like nukes. 
Bring back the B-52s and carpet bomb, Use ICBMs with nuclear or 
conventional weapons. This is not the place where we do pathetic 
attempts to get those responsible. We need to fight terror with terror, 
We need to send a message that states who support terrorism will not be 
tolerated. Our retribution needs to be so intense and horrific that 
people who commit these acts wll think twice. A couple cruise missles 
and a smart bomb run or two won't accomplish anything at all.

On another note about plane security. Specifically it sucks. There are 
reports that the plain that crashed in PA was taken over with knives. 
There is a very simple solution to these types of problems - put a 
think door on the cockpit which can only be locked and opened from the 
inside. Make it bulletproof. That alone would prevent almost all 
terrorist attacks of this type. Secondly, put the planes on 
computerized flight control. Override would be from the control towers 
only or by a code inputed by the pilot. Pressing a hijack button would 
disallow the pilot to disable the computer.

My thoughts are still very cluttered by this absolutely horrible 
tradegy but the basic ideas are right. My deepest sympathies to those 
to know anybody involved and to all the poor, innocent people who died.

Mike

PS. Building 7, 45 stories just collapsed.