It was then I began to fully realize something, I suspect many Americans don't-yet. Our very way of life, our culture and belief systems are in grave danger.

The news that London had been struck by faceless cowards who took innocent lives for glory, both sickened and saddened me. A furious sense of helpless rage came over me, as I watched the survivors struggling to cope with what they had just been through. Though nowhere near the sheer horror and scope of September 11th, the reaction to seeing plain ordinary people, going about their day and suddenly getting slaughtered was the same.

It was then I began to fully realize something, I suspect many Americans don't-yet. Our very way of life, our culture and belief systems are in grave danger. For this is in every sense of the word, a world war. And we are facing an enemy just as implacable, just as dangerous as Adolf Hitler's army. And in many ways, the danger is worse.

The people perpetuating these atrocities are not interested in dialogue, diplomacy or rational conversation. Nor are most of them religious zealots. What they are interested in is destroying us as a people. They despise us for who we are and more importantly, for what we represent: freedom and a democratic way of life. This is why there will never be a meaningful rapprochement, no diplomatic solution.

To attribute motives such as our involvement in Iraq is both specious and naive. They could care less about Iraqi's, as shown by their utter disregard for life there. They treat their own with the same callous indifference. Recruiters seek young restless and idealistic men, promising them glory and honor, if they join the jihad against the West. Only to indoctrinate them in hidden madrassahs and training camps to become expendable pieces of meat to be blown up at their whims.

These are dangerous animals who have a fascisistic agenda. They employ the classic tactics of terror, coercion, imprisonment and execution. They care for one thing only: power. The power of life and death and the ability to supress anything that does not agree with their evil world view. And our Western society certainly doesn't begin to come close to their vision of how things should be.

We're standing firm in Iraq and taking a tough stand on terrorism in America. Our European allies must begin to get equally tough, or we may fail. In order to combat an enemy this fluid, this amorphous and intelligent, we must unite and work together.
Our military and intelligence services must be given all the tools they need to aggressively pursue and eliminate these cowards, as George Bush stated: "Wherever they live" And remain as free as possible from political manouevering.

And Americans need to become educated and aware to the reality of what we face. It's going to take all of us to win this war. It's going to require patience, vigilance and a willingness to step up and be counted if needed. I have faith in both American and British citizens. Historically, both have shown they have what it takes when it's needed.

My heart goes out to the people of London. Yet I know that the tremendous strength and love of country is their greatest weapon. God willing, we'll see this end-together.