Osama bin Laden,

           No man can ever know for sure what another man’s deepest thoughts and feelings are.  A man can only judge another by their words and their deeds.

           Your words in 1998 stated:  “The ruling to kill Americans and their allies – civilians and military – is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it.  We - with Allah’s help – call on every Muslim who believes in Allah and wishes to be rewarded to comply with Allah’s order to kill the Americans and plunder their money wherever and whenever they find it.”

           Those were your words, and 9/11 was one of your deeds.

           To your sympathizers and the al Qaeda network you are a hero and a genius.  They feel the oppressions and the injustices that drive your passions.  They are ardent believers in your cause and many are dedicated to blowing themselves up as well as any human targets that al Qaeda points to.

           But I am puzzled.  What is it that you truly wish to accomplish? What is your bottom line end goal?  Do you want to see all 300 million Americans dead?  Do you want to see all American businesses, institutions and charities vaporized from the planet?  Do you want the 6 million Muslims in America and their Mosques vaporized also?

           Do you imagine that the U.S. and their allies will just give up and go away someplace never to be heard of again, because you threaten them?  Or do you honestly think there will not be retaliation from those that you attack?

           Will it all end after just one more battle, one more attack, or will your children and their children fight on forever until there are no survivors or victors?  Do you honestly see an end in sight where violence and death to innocent people no longer begets more violence and death?

           Will your next vow be to attack China’s people and institutions because the Chinese consume oil from Saudi Arabia and because the Chinese are not predominately a Muslim nation?

           Do you believe continued death and destruction at this time in history is the absolute only way to achieve your goals?