So much death.  So much destruction.  So much pain.  So much anger.

So much a feeling that retribution must pound sense – or failing that, death – into the ranks of terrorists.

We feel so much grief, so much sorrow, so much anguish.  It is hard, at such a time, to ask for anything less than hurt for our hurt, lives for our lives, agony for our agony.

But America and the world face a very different enemy who seeks the advantage of striking from hiding against peaceful and peaceloving civilians, and this is a time for creative thinking in the matter of warfare.

With that in mind, we quote here from an e-mail forwarded to several Islanders by Rivercross resident Barbara Packer.  It will not be a popular point of view at this time, but it is worth considering for its contrarian and creative content.  It is appealing to imagine citizens of Afghanistan thrown off balance by a totally unconventional approach and, perhaps, reacting as we would like them to react to those who would do us and the world further harm.

With that caveat, and with an understanding that unconventional thinking is a necessary ingredient in unconvential war, here are those thoughts:

Bomb them with butter, bribe them with hope

A military response, particularly an attack on Afghanistan, is exactly what the terrorists want.  It will strengthen and swell their small but fanatical ranks.

Instead, bomb Afghanistan with butter, with rice, bread, clothing and medicine.  It will cost less than conventional arms, poses no threat of US casualties and just might get the populace thinking that maybe the Taliban don't have the answers.  After three years of drought and with starvation looming, let's offer the Afghani people the vision of a new future.  One that includes full stomachs.

Bomb them with information.  Video players and cassettes of world leaders, particularly Islamic leaders, condemning terrorism.  Carpet the country with magazines and newspapers showing the horror of terrorism committed by their "guest."  Blitz them with laptop computers and DVD players filled with a perspective that is denied them by their government.  Saturation bombing with hope will mean that some of it gets through.  Send so much that the Taliban can't collect and hide it all.

The Taliban are telling their people to prepare for Jihad.  Instead, let's give the Afghani people their first good meal in years.  Seeing your family fully fed and the prospect of stability in terms of food and a future is a powerful deterrent to martyrdom.  All we ask in return is that they, as a people, agree to enter the civilized world.  That includes handing over terrorists in their midst.

In responding to terrorism we need to do something different.  Something unexpected... something that addresses the root of the problem.  We need to take away the well of despair, ignorance and brutality from which the poisoned weed of hatred grows.

Osama bin Ladens of the world water their gardens of terror.

To which we would add the thought that this greatest country in the world can impose a terrible price on its enemies, but we must not fantasize that it can be done without great cost, both in foreign campaigns and potentially in further mayhem here.

Our "big stick" is an ultimate weapon that might well be our only option.  But as we consider our possible retributions, we should also consider what might be the greatest vengeance of all – a Taliban thrown into disarray by American creativity in unconventional warfare.

DL