The revelation that Seattle was an early target of the terrorist who masterminded the 9-11 attacks brought a chill to the spine. For those still clinging to the naive belief that such horrors could only happen on the East Coast, it was a cold wakeup call.
That’s good. The Sept. 11 attacks changed our way of life – not just for a few years, but forever.
Think back to the emotions that roiled inside you that day. Overwhelming sadness and anger, a numb feeling of disbelief. For most Americans, those feelings were followed by resolve to defeat this cold-blooded enemy, a resolve that seems to have faded a bit.
One reason is that the war in Iraq has diverted Americans’ attention from the continuing threat within our borders. The overwhelming support for the war on terror was fragmented by the controversial invasion of Iraq and the ensuing mess that has developed.
We suspect, though, that natural human complacency is also at work, setting in as years have passed without another attack here. It’s hard to stay on guard against an enemy that doesn’t rise up frequently.
But the reports now being released by the 9-11 commission remind us that this enemy hasn’t ceased to be a threat. Details that are emerging show an al-Qaida that had the desire to pull off attacks that were spectacular in size and number, and the ability to do so. Osama bin Laden is said to have wanted to encourage reprisals from the United States as a way to boost recruiting and fund-raising. There can be no question that al-Qaida is plotting more attacks.
Surely the work that has been done to prevent them has paid off. But the nature of this enemy, particularly its willingness to commit suicide, makes it impossible to ward off completely. Still, one of the best defenses is for each of us to remain alert to the threat, watching for and reporting suspicious activity.
Almost three years after the attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., policymakers seem to understand that reasonable measures can be taken to lessen the threat without undue disruptions to our way of life. In our region, ferry screening is increasing but is stopping short of searching all vehicles, which would make timely departures impossible. Such reasonable balances should be the ongoing goal.
At the same time, the proper balance between public safety and individual rights must continue to be sought. The key is finding ways to protect the latter while allowing law enforcement sufficient tools to capture terrorists – preferably before they strike.
Finding that balance won’t be easy. Such is the nature of war.
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