To the editor:

On Sept. 12, 2001, every government in the world realized that Osama bin Laden was on a track that would eventually threaten them. What politician wants to turn his power over to a terrorist? A wise American president would have seized that opportunity to unite the world against terrorism. Saddam, as well as all the other vile dictators in the world, would have gladly joined in the fight. The hunt in the Middle East could have been left to Middle Easterners who know the language, know the culture, and are more vicious and fanatic than we are.

Instead, Bush bulled over all cooler heads and tried to right what he perceived as a flaw in his father’s administration, the failure to conquer and subjugate Iraq. He turned the world’s perception of America as a useful, helpful bully, into just a bully. The world now stands united with Osama bin Laden in hate for us, blind to the danger he is to them.

We are the greatest military power in the world. Britain was the greatest military power when we beat them. Great military power is always vulnerable to unforeseen strengths in the opposition. The usefulness of military power is as a “big stick.” Who fears us now that we have, once again, demonstrated the invincibility of guerrillas?

Steve Mason,

Lawrence