I think we must not fight a ground war in Afghanistan. We tried that in Viet Nam, with disastrous results. Bombs can do what has to be done.

I hope Bush will act immediately, and I suspect he will. It has been suggested that we take time before making a decision about what to do. We don't need time. We need only the sight of the bodies strewn around the streets of New York. The terrorists must learn that whatever they do to us, we will do worse to them. Only then will they discover that it is unsafe to attack us. There are times when righteous wrath is justified, and this is one of those times. We needn't be hysterical and flail out in all directions, but we must step on the terrorists -- and those who harbor them -- as we'd step on a poisonous bug.

Bush said something very important during his talk: he said that we will go after the terrorists and also those who harbor them. This has never been said before; always, we have targeted only the terrorists themselves. This time, it not enough that we put a few terrorists in prison; we must go after the source and destroy it and thereby send a warning to terrorists all over the world.

I am so filled with both grief and rage, that I don't know which is predominant. I go back and forth between one and the other, as I'm sure most of us do. I'll be going to New York next week -- assuming planes are flying -- and I shudder at the thought of seeing my beloved city so shattered.

I'd like to add my thanks to those of you who have thanked our friends in other countries for their sympathy and good wishes. Somehow, it helps.