To the editor:

The idea that we Americans are “shocked” that the Islamic terrorists are trying to kill as many of us as they can on or before the Sept. 11 anniversary is nonsense. They may be brain-dead in Washington, D.C., but the American public is not. This latest apparent attempt is exactly what we have expected. It’s certainly past time for the politicians in Washington, Democrats included, to wake up and realize we are in a fight to preserve our American way of life. Many of us are expecting and preparing for the next inevitable 9-11-type of incident.

This may or may not be World War III. However, it certainly has that potential. The ridiculous idea that we do not need to look closer at people coming here who have obvious ties to the Middle East and Islamic backgrounds for fear of being “politically incorrect” has to go.

For example, have they considered that the 10 Egyptians on student visas may just have been a “dry run” probing our defenses? Maybe they were just a scouting party? Also, I would suggest looking into any sudden influx of money in the accounts of people in American embassies and consulates in the Middle East that approve visas for travelers to the United States from these oil-rich nations.

E.G. Hickam,

Lawrence