Mike,

That kind of thinking is extremely weak minded. By that logic we should have just sat around reading the Bible during all past conflicts. If that was the case, we'd all be speaking German right now.

I must admit, because it is Richard Clarke, I am sitting up and taking notice. Doesn't mean I am going to change my daily activities. It means I will be alert not alarmed. Joe Public are the Security Services eyes and ears. If you see anything suspicious even if you don't think it is important REPORT IT let the professionals decide if it important or not.

Don't sit there moaning about if and why empower yourself, our security services can't be everywhere at once.

Several plots in the UK were stopped because the Public thought 'hang on that doesn't appear right' and reported it. If they are here someone knows where, even if they don't realise it.

I also second Jarhead's comments, running around chasing plotters does not solve the root cause.

I agree Jujubee. I think if we have another attack, the election could be postponed, not cancelled. The main problem will be if the attack is against a government facility or a "soft" target. Our country can handle an attack as we saw on Sept. 11 but we are not remotely prepared if the terrorists go after soft targets.

If there is another al Qaeda terrorist attack, it will largely be a result of Bush ignoring al Qaeda...AGAIN. Bush allowed bin Laden to escape at Tora Bora into Pakistan. From there, bin Laden, Zawahiri et al have been allowed to regain strength. They're now posing a threat to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Europe and the US--AGAIN.

Why is Osama still running around loose? How can Bush tell the American people that he's not important anymore? How can Bush claim that Iraqi insurgents are to blame for 9/11, when they had nothing to do with it. Iraqi insurgents didn't even exist prior to 9/11, nor did al Qaeda in Iraq.

Before anyone tells me that I must've been born before 9/11...I live in NYC and I was here on 9/11. My family knew people who died, and I know people who barely escaped with their lives. New York City remains the #1 al Qaeda target. But the Bush administration keeps sending counter-terrorism funding to Kentucky and Nebraska.

If I sound angry, you're DAMNED RIGHT!

1. A suspension of our democratic process is the most counterproductive suggestion on this page. Including the bible study idea. Every intelligence agency under the sun tauts AQ as a very adaptive group, and Jujubee suggests we not only stop the very slow adaptive process of administration change but ignore the the laws our enemy seeks to destroy?

2. BTW a "soft target" is you and me Cindi, civilians. There are endless plans to deal with the loss of government officals, including the loss of entire branches of government.

3. Richard Clarke just happens to have been the chief counter-terrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council during the Clinton administration, (Pre 911) back when they tried to kill Osama bin Laden twice with missile strikes. He knew a threat when he saw it then and when he warns us we should think twice before dismissing it.

Bush has the right to postpone or even cancel the 2008 election?? I'm sorry, but one man should not have the power to interrupt an American institution and usurp ultimate power for an undisclosed period of time! It's un-American! IF an attack happens, we WILL go on. Our country will then realize the past eight years under this administration began AND ended with horrible acts against our nation.

The right to elect our officials, regardless of the situation of the world, is on what this nation was founded. It should stay that way.

Jazz says he would support martial law and suspended elections if we were attacked again... Wake up, this administration has upset the world, our enemies, our allies, everyone. If these attacks do happen, we're brought them on ourselves through the ignorance, stupidity and lack of vision of the Bush administration. They can't see past the first Iraqi oil field let along have a vision for America's future.

Too bad we are wasting time in Iraq, instead of pursuing bin laden.

TO MY AMERICAN FRIENDS:
Please stop with the "President Bush is the root of all evil" ideaology. It makes you sound stupid when you keep repeating it over and over and use it as a response for everything from terrorism to a hangnail. It also means you are uninformed and know very little about the government you so blatantly disrespect. Preserving the security of our freedom and opportunity in this country is at stake. Please come out from the left and the right and realize that we need to be a united as a people who will not let our great nation wind up opressed because we were too tolerant.

NSPD 51 and HSPD 20. That is all you need to know. It's already in place and he may use it if there is another "attack."

Jazz, who do you work for, really? The Constitution is the the Law of the Land.

What this means is be alert and vigilant in your surroundings. Just hope that people who are responsible for security will just shut up, follow the leads, do their job and do whatever is necessary.

my game prediction..terrorists are going to launch rpgs simultaneously at lax and downtown la...then the cia is going to hire southern calif. gangs to take out radical islamists and several mosques in the gruesome manner...via "Greenlight" process...anyone caught will be sent to the nut house and or 4 years in jail with a big payoff when the get out....

Anyone that believes our government is just trying to scare us is living in a closet. You cant deny that something is building. It has been very quiet for quite sometime except for the Europe incident. It has been 6 years since we were hit. We all know that Al Qaeda is patient. This is the time that you need to start paying very close attention to the warning signs. You have intelligence saying that the threats are increasing and more information is pointing to sonething happening this summer. Look at our economy. The jobless rate has gone down and the Stock market hit a record today. This country is booming econmically. There can be no denying the fact that the possibility of an attack is growing every day !

If another major terrorist attack happens on Bush's watch, the administration is FINISHED! There will be no martial law. There will be overwhelming calls for impeachment and new leadership. We all pray that an attack does not happen, and the conservatives better pray even harder. Their very political life depends on it.

Terrorism is a fact of life. What good is there in raising a "security level"? All of the things enacted post 9-11 should have been done pre, when it was equally clear that the threat was there. So let's simply follow other successful examples like Israel and be as secure as we can while going on with our lives. Temporary shows of force do little.

Maybe all of you should catch up on your politics and this administration. A Presidential Directive has already been issued (in May) that gives George Bush (the man who thinks the Constitution is just a GD piece of paper) the authority as the SOLE care taker of the Constitution to do whatever he deems necessary in the event of another terrorist attack.

Canceling the election and declaring Marshall Law is included. And, I might add, the least of our worries.

I saw an evil looking middle-eastern type this morning at the overpriced gas station. Being vigilant, I called the local Air National Guard base to see if we could get an air strike. They laughed at me! Can you imagine that??

Hunt them down and shut up. Publicity after you clean the mess up.

If we get attacked by Al Qaeda or any other terrorist organization, should we consider using our nuclear arsenal along the Pakistan-Afghan border to eliminate the tribal and spiritual leaders within the Taliban and the leaders within Al Qaeda?

Since we armed and provided intelligence to Osama Bin Laden during the Afghan-Russia war in the 1980's should we consider partnering with Russia and seek revenge against Osama Bin Laden who effectively broke up the Russian empire?

Any thoughts?