Violence... The story so far

We the people of these United States Of America enjoy certain freedoms the kind that could be enjoyed by all humankind. Indeed, equivalent freedoms are now enjoyed by billions of people of all ethnicities and faiths.

And personal freedom is coming to China with telling effect. What "The Great Leap forward" and "The Cultural Revolution" failed to accomplish, a loosened grip and a move toward a market economy has. China is coming into its own era. Its people have optimism now that matches their traditional resourcefulness and social system of family values. That religion is playing no role in this peaceful revolution, seems to be lost on the fundamentalists who see strict religion as the only salvation for humankindtheir own particular interpretation of course.

A highly organized band of terrorists have declared Jihad (holy war) against America and others. They destroyed the International Trade Center in New York and Embassies abroad. These terrorists do not have statehood anywhere on earth, but they are being harbored, supported, and protected by certain peoples in the Middle East and elsewhere. Injuries we have suffered are severe in terms of both life and propertywe simply must reply as humanely as possible by all available means. Terrorism is not a new experience for humankind. But the scale of terrorism is now of such international dimensions that the next escalation [nuclear or biological] could threaten all civilizations on earth, if indeed humanity survives. Whether it is "legal" in the sense of laws passed by human systems of governance, it is nevertheless consistent with the laws of nature.

However, we believe the laws of nations, and international laws as well, are consistent with responding to terror in-kind. American freedoms are inherent in the Constitution of the United States of America which provides for our governance and rules of law. Our constitution provides for our common defense when we are attacked.

Similarly, The Charter of the United Nations provides means for defending the safety of its member nations. See Chapter 7 of the Charter in particular.

See also:

US Constitution Preamble & Article I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
Bill of RightsFirst 10 Amendments
Amendments 11-25

Best seller: "In Our Defense;" Ellen Alderman and Caroline Kennedy.