Staff editorial: Strategy of deliberation

One week ago, the president of the United States declared this nation to be at war.

It wasn't a formal declaration, and it wasn't followed up with any massive troop deployments or orchestrated attacks. But George W. Bush's bold statement -- made just as this nation began to face a very new, very real terrorist threat -- brought with it a chilling uncertainty for the fate of our military, and, indeed, the future of our nation.

Since then, Americans have spent the better part of a week watching and waiting. Watching for news of survivors and miraculous finds from within the rubble of what was once the World Trade Center. Waiting for word that Osama bin Laden, the exiled Saudi dissident suspected of masterminding last week's attacks, may be on the way out of his Afghanistan hiding space.

And waiting once more, finally, to see what Bush's first move would be in his self-proclaimed war against terrorism and those who support it.

Every day since, it seems, we awake expecting to hear of an attack on Afghanistan or a raid on bin Laden's mountain hiding spot. And every day, we learn that Bush and his administration have chosen the path of deliberation -- the careful path, grounded in the collection of facts, evidence and crucial world support.

For that, we commend the president and his administration for taking the smart, safe and civilized road before commiting American troops to a dangerous action. That deliberative strategy, in fact, is one which ultimately separates this nation's leaders from the cowards who murdered thousands of innocents just over a week ago.

It is a strategy, furthermore, that Americans should appreciate as events unfold in the coming days that may, ultimately, lead to an armed conflict.

If blood must be shed, there will undoubtedly be heated opinions on both sides of the debate. We urge those on both sides of the issue -- here at Penn and in the community at large -- to remember the thought, consideration and planning that are obviously going into these decisions, and to respond with a due amount of thought, consideration and respect.

That respect, after all, is what distinguishes us as a civilized nation. And in the end, that's what really separates us from the cowards.

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