Posted on: Monday, October 8, 2001

Editorial
A new kind of war calls for patience, resilience

Reasoned, cautious, precise and terrifyingly difficult.

Those are some of the words that come to mind as one contemplates the military effort launched yesterday in response to the Sept.11 attacks.

President Bush warned us that this would be a new kind of war, and indeed it is. At the same time, the United States rained bombs and bread on a wretched nation and an unseen enemy.

It is clear we had to act. The question is: What — precisely — is the proper response?

The difficulty of that question is implied in the actions taken yesterday: We bombed, but as much as possible, sought to have our missiles hit strategic targets only. We stretched our technology to avoid hurting the Afghan people who — we continue to insist — are not our enemies. And behind the bombs came the butter and bread. Feed and fight.

The short-term effect of our attacks will be increased fear for Americans at home and abroad. Our strikes will become fodder for those who want to convince the Muslim world it must rise up against the United States. That's a price we will have to pay.

Our task now is to pursue the terrorists wherever they hide and redouble our efforts, sincerely and patiently, to convince the Muslim world its mortal enemy lies not in the United States, but within.