We all know the events of September 11th, 2001. We all know the pain of loss and the anger that was in us all. As many people, the President, parents, teachers, peers, have told us, it is how we react that matters. Do we as a nation try to coax the Taliban into giving up Osama bin Laden and other key members of his terrorist group al-Qaeda? Do we bring in our planes, tanks, and ground troops to take over Afghanistan and throw out the Taliban regime? Because the reaction we give is not just the reaction of President Bush, it is not just the reaction of our Congress; it is the reaction of our nation, every man woman and child. Negotiations with the Taliban on the exiling or giving up of Osama bin Laden were unsuccessful. The Taliban refused to extradite bin Laden and has steadfastly justified his methods of Jihad. President Bush has put together a coalition of nations to help the US fight its war on terrorism, which extends far beyond NATO. Even some of Afghanistan's neighbors, Uzbekistan and China, and friends, Pakistan, have promised aid to the US. There is a disagreement, however, about how this war should be waged. Through non-military means, such as economic sanctions or negotiations, or through military means such as air strikes or all-out war.
             The divide over using military might or using more peaceful means is sharp but not even. The majority of Americans would approve of a manned war in Afghanistan. In a Time magazine article examining the rift in leftist thinkers on the issue of military response, it is shown that not all Democrats feel the same as those protesting any military action. Howard Zinn, a historian emeritus at Boston University, Todd Gitlin, a sociology professor at NYU, and Christopher Hitchens, a freelance journalist, are all Democrats, yet all are pro-military force in response to the terrorist attacks. This is not Vietnam, they say,
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