Here are a couple of things I propose to help the problem. Number one stop sending arms to ISrael, until they remove their settlements, allow Palestinians freedom to move about the country, dig wells, not pay more for water than Israelis, stop shooting, and running over peace workers, stop jailing minors without filing any charges against them or having a trial. Talk with the Shia clerics in Iraq, not arrest them. Let them in on the plan for democracy, encourage them to form a strong party there, and run for varioius offices. At the same time work with every other group in Iraq to do the same thing. Renounce all contracts awarded to American countries after the most recent Iraq war, apologize and tell the world it's the IRaqi's country and they can decide who will get what contracts. Of course we would want to be included in the bidding process, but the decision isn't ours to make. After all in the rebuilding of Japan there were zero big American corporations awarded contracts, and that seemed to work just fine. Offer to give aid to the Palestinians if the terrorist bombings stop, corruption on the part of the PLO decreases, and they respect the borders of Israel. Start pulling our troops out of Saudi Arabia. Make moves to help establish a Palestinian state. Continue to focus on the war on terrorism. Imrpove our relationships with are allies and countries around the world to share better intelligence. Continue beefed up security at airports, and other public events. Instead of putting forth zero dollars in aid to Afghanistan, continue aiding them. These things are all weapons mideast terrorist groups use against us in recruiting. Show them that we aren't biased in the region, that we can act fairly, aren't against them, and we'll be on fewer terrorist hit lists. Take away the motivation and you are treating part of the problem, and not just the symptoms.
There have been steps that have been taken that do NOT violate civil liberties. Since your "the sky is falling" mentality is crying out for an example, I will give one that I have seen in action. Students from certain foreign countries, are required to let INS know how many hours they are taking to prove that they are students and not just staying in the United States illegally. This was not always a law that was enforced very heavily at all... until 9/11. This semester I have had students in my office, male and female, literally CRYING, because if they don't get full time status they will get deported immediately. If they show up at INS without proof that they are full time students they are deported, ON THE SPOT. No ride home to get clothing and gather their belongings, nothing. If they don't go to INS on time for fear of being deported they are labeled as criminals and when they do show up later with proof, they are still deported. One such student even had to register in classes at another University that will not count at all towards his degree because he had to be full time and the classes that he needed were full. Steps are being taken by our government, in order to "protect us", my friend, just because they don't affect YOUR daily life doesn't mean that they are not there.
