The United States is at war. Our enemies have penetrated American soil to assault the most prominent symbols of our economic and military power, and the magnitude of the loss -- in human life, in economic devastation, in damage to the national psyche -- is almost beyond comprehension. Sept. 11, 2001, takes its place alongside Dec. 7, 1941, as the most evil dates in American

history.

The United States is the world's greatest military power, but our superior nuclear arsenal is of little use today. Nor could even the most impenetrable missile shield have protected us from such an attack. It is tempting to believe that we can insulate ourselves from the political turmoil that wracks the rest of the world, but the dangers of such complacency are obvious today. Instead, we will need the support of our international friends as we go about the task of identifying, tracking down and punishing the enemy or enemies responsible for these acts of war

No free society can ever make itself invulnerable against terrorists willing to die for their cause, but the failure to intercept evidence of a coordinated attack of this scope and sophistication should provoke a fundamental reassessment of our anti-terrorism and counterintelligence operations. The hijacking of so many commercial planes also warrants an immediate review of the obvious failures in our system of airport security.

At the same time, it is important that Americans not overreact in ways that jeopardize the civil liberties that define us as a nation. These despicable acts of terrorism took a terrible toll on our nation, but we must not allow ourselves to finish the terrorists' work by adding some of our most precious freedoms to the casualty list.

Tuesday, some members of Congress were already suggesting the Bill of Rights might need some paring. Sen. John Warner, R-Va., a leading member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, "We'll need to re-strike the balance between the exercise of our freedoms and security pressures to protect this nation."

In the difficult days ahead, Warner and other Washington leaders have a responsibility to protect not only American lives and soil, but also our American character, which is grounded in the principles of individual freedom.

While our national institutions work to rebuild themselves, the rest of us can do our part to seek out and reassure our friends and loved ones, so many of whom are in pain today. Americans mourn for the thousands of fellow citizens whose lives were ripped apart by the coordinated acts of terrorism at the Pentagon and World Trade Center. We also mourn for our collective loss. After a national tragedy of such enormity, our sense of security, personally and as a nation, may never be the same.

At the same time, Americans will never forget the many acts of individual heroism they witnessed Tuesday, and we will never lose our collective sense of unity and purpose. We will muster the will as a people to punish those responsible for these acts of savagery, and to take all possible steps, consistent with our democratic values, to bolster our national security.

As we struggle to come to terms with our almost unimaginable loss, let us cling even more closely to the values for which the United States has long stood -- and which no enemy can

destroy.

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