Regarding your editorial in The Spectrum, I must say that it was reassuring to hear the voice of reason calling for patience and composure in light of the more recent tragedies our nation has suffered. Ill-advised unilateral military action or retaliatory strikes by U.S. forces would surely result in a protracted struggle with potentially dire consequences of global dimensions.
However, your editorial, as in much of the recent media coverage, makes the case that this is America's "war" exclusively. This is hardly the situation at hand, as evidenced by the losses suffered by those representing a myriad of different ethnicities, religions and nationalities.
Although it is perhaps tempting to polarize or interpret the events of Sept. 11 in the context of U.S.-Arab relations, such a black and white interpretation does little to provide scope and understanding of said event necessary for implementing a response and preparing for the future.
Debacles in U.S. foreign diplomacy in the Middle East simply do not justify the wanton disregard for human life demonstrated in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania, regardless of one's political alignment or predilections. This sentiment has been echoed by nations across the globe, as seen in NATO's enactment of Article 5 declaring the terrorist attacks an act of aggression against the sovereignty of its member states.
As such, the political leadership of our nation and the world community at large requires the perspective and concerted effort of an international contingency adamant in its fight against terrorism. Such a multilateral effort will likely be fought on many fronts, employing economic, diplomatic, and finally, military strategies, as deemed necessary by consensus of the civilized world.
Neil Bonzagni
UB Student
