I'll put this in a more permanent position on this site this weekend, but for now, here's a way to contribute in the wake of this week's horrendous act of terrorism.

Well, I'm trying to scrounge up story ideas for this week and can't get past the feeling that, in the wake of this week's tragedy, anything I do will be laughably insignificant. I don't think even I would read a regular tech story this week.

How Missile Defense Would Help Terrorists, by Robert Wright

An excellent argument that this Bush's missle defense whould spur, not dampen, future terrorist attacks.

"The more nuclear materials there are floating around beyond American control, the worse things look. And missile defense would probably raise that amount."

Salon.com Politics | "We predicted it"

Even more interesting:

They went to great pains not to sound as though they were telling the president "We told you so."

But on Wednesday, two former senators, the bipartisan co-chairs of a Defense Department-chartered commission on national security, spoke with something between frustration and regret about how White House officials failed to embrace any of the recommendations to prevent acts of domestic terrorism delivered earlier this year.

Another good one, from the same center-left magazine...

TNR Online | Fighting Fire by Eliot A. Cohen

Here's a thought-provoking essay on how we should respond to the recent terrorist attack. I have to say I mostly agree...

TNR Online | Above the Law by Lawrence F. Kaplan

OK, one more thought, an excerpt from an article that echoes my thoughts exactly...

"As If Someone Had Blown a Hole in the Sky Itself" by Jacob Weisberg
"The only official I saw who failed to create some sense of reassurance was the president. All he knew how to do was read his statement and offer a prayer. My honest, churlish reaction: I wish Bill Clinton were still the president. We all felt better when Mayor Giuliani came on. Giuliani is a man who knows how to deal with an emergency."

Just one more thought. I think the United States should:

1) Invade Afghanistan, and extract Osama bin Laden, based simply on his previous actions. We'd be completely justified, and we need to take tangible action.

2) Declare formal war on any countries involved in this act and beat the hell out of them.

Nation Plunges Into Fight With Enemy Hard to Identify and Punish

"Disappointing some of his political advisers and allies, who felt he should have returned to Washington at once from a trip to Florida to symbolize that the government was functioning, President Bush headed instead to Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha, where a more secure command post was available. At the height of the Cuban missile crisis, when the sense of danger was just as palpable, John F. Kennedy stayed in Washington."

Interesting...

A telling photo...

Crap. Because of the World Trade Center bombing, we're going to press at midnight tomorrow, meaning that's how long we reporters will have to stay at work tomorrow night. I'd better get a full night's sleep tonight.

In case anyone was wondering what difference it makes to have a president wih intellectual depth...

U.S. pondering its response

Here's a problem W. won't be able to B.S. his way through.

Terrorists strike World Trade Center

There's not much I can add about this horrifying, sickening attack. I got the news this morning from Sarah Sun, who left a message of the attack on my voicemail. I thought she had fallen victim to an e-mail hoax, but sure enough, it was true.

What surprises me is that, unlike the bombings of Oklahoma City bombing or U.S.S. Cole, this attack was so well coordinated. Terrorists hijacked four separate planes, meaning our security system failed four separate time in the span of less than an hour. That's a scary realization.

I have a feeling that we're going to invade Afghanistan and extract Osama bin Laden -- even if he's not responsible for this particular attack -- as a show of force.

What a sad day for the United States.