Deflecting terror

The thwarting of the plot to kill perhaps thousands aboard 10 U.S.-bound planes today should remind us of the post-9/11 horror that gripped our lives for months after the Twin Towers fell. Unfortunately, too many of us have fallen under the spell of complacency and will not understand the necessary steps taken at airports today. Passengers cannot take liquids on board planes, meaning coffee, bottled water, even hair gel is off limits. (The ban applies only to carry-on luggage.) Who knows how long these rules will be in place. And yes, they are inconvenient to travelers. But as politically charged as the U.S. is, the Bush administration made the only move it could. Had the TSA taken a less-draconian approach, President Bush would have been torn to pieces by the left, which correctly would complain of an inadequate response.

As time passes, and we learn more about the foiled attacks, the appropriateness of the government's action will be made clearer. But let us remember, terrorism simply has been deflected. It will rear its head again on our soil. And we'd better not be dreaming when it does.