In response to Tuesday's national crisis, at the University, foreign affairs experts at the University began offering theories to some of the questions regarding America's future security.
Philip D. Zelikow, director of the Miller Center and member of the National Security Council under former President George Bush, believes the current Bush administration faces five immediate challenges: sorting out massive amounts of information, coordinating a full-scale emergency response, deciding whether or not to re-open airports, looking into Congressional legislation in regards to an emergency budget supplement, and planning law enforcement, intelligence and military operations.
Kenneth Thompson, a former Miller Center director and resident scholar for the foreign affairs department, said he thinks the Bush administration has the necessary staff to address these very important decisions, but is concerned that it uses "the right people."
Thompson stressed the need for Bush to call on Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice, who both boast expertise in Middle Eastern affairs, where government officials speculate the terrorists may come from.
On the issue of military action against possible terrorists, Zelikow said he believed "no action will be taken until the Bush administration is satisfied with its information."
Dale Copeland, an associate professor of government and foreign affairs who specializes in military force, speculated that if the United States does take action, "most of the action will be against the actual perpetrators," as opposed to states or state officials.
Copeland said the Air Force probably would have the most involvement, using pinpoint weaponry such as cruise missiles.
If war breaks out, Thompson stressed the need for the military to have a "strategic plan" given the very complicated situation in Afghanistan.
He said, "topographically, economically and geographically it's difficult to accomplish anything in Afghanistan." Thompson became familiar with Afghanistan through his position as vice president of the Rockefeller Foundation, a philanthropic organization working to alleviate hunger, poverty and disease.
Thompson said the United States "shouldn't go it alone" in combating the terrorism that struck our nation because U.S. efforts to develop anti-terrorist allies could be helped by international reaction to the incident. We should be encouraged by the renewed participation of Western European nations, said Michael Smith, director of the political and social thought program.
Smith also emphasized the significance of the demonstrations of support and remorse from many Arab and Palestinian leaders.
He said Americans should not jump to conclusions about certain races or nationalities because news networks sometimes show people celebrating the attacks. Such anti-American responses "may not be as widespread as images express."
In regards to any future terrorist attacks against the country, "prudence demands that this could happen at any time - but no one really knows," Smith said.
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