Another way of phrasing Kevin Wong's question, " Where's the threat? ", is "Where's the smoking gun?"

Unfortunately, when the smoke of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) appears, it's too late.

We know Saddam. We know his evil sons. We know Saddam had WMD capability. He has not accounted for the destruction of his known WMD save the atomic. We know he's busily at work internationally to resurrect that which was destroyed. Time, deception and his oil bankroll are o­n his side.

In the meantime, Saddam cannot be trusted to keep the portable WMD out of terrorists' hands. We know he supports terrorists. How far, we don't know and this American is not willing to find out by a smoking gun.

America has another tangible insight the rest of the world appreciates o­nly in an abstract way: the horrors of 9/11.

One of my dear friends, Lt Col (USArmy, Ret) Gary Smith, was murdered that day at the Pentagon. o­n that same plane, a delightful, bright lady and political ally, Barbara Olson, and other innocents perished fearfully. Ted Olson's praise of his dear wife was particularly painful to hear and watch.

Americans have a palpable internalisation of 9/11.

We internally replay the terrible tapes of our minds of the dear folks leaping to their deaths from the World Trade Center; the phone calls from the doomed in those buildings to their loved o­nes; the phone calls from doomed planes and the heroic "Let's roll" of Todd Beamer as his fellow Americans thwarted the foul murders of their ultimate Washington DC target.

We still hear the multitude of wailing American families steeped in grief. We have experienced the smoking gun o­n our homeland and homes.

No, Mr Wong. We know the enemy and he is determined. We will not take the chance of experiencing another smoking gun, especially from a Stalinist dictator who already has invaded two countries, killed his own Muslim citizens and who has made an assassination attempt o­n an American president.

I hope your optimistic assessment of the coalition is the correct o­ne. I am not so sanguine.

We all recall the solidarity of Russian citizens to defend their homeland during WWII although they hated Stalin and his brutalities. We all recall how General Winter of Russia defeated the mighty Napoleon. The coalition forces are hampered by 'Sergeant Sand'. The blind juice of Iraqi patriotism fuels even the most ardent Saddam haters. They're returning from Jordan, from Syria, from Iran to fight for their fatherland. Nationalistic passion seems high.

However, the coalition will persevere. Our cause is just. Our insight of the threat, deep.

On the other hand, Mr Wong, I do hope you will help shake some Islamists of their perversion of the Islam faith. Their terrorist minions are a threat to us all.