My father and sister both live in Manhattan, New York. When I first learnt of the attacks on the World Trade Center, I didn't register the magnitude of the images of smoke, fire and two planes ploughing into the towers. Then the towers crumbled and imploded right before my eyes over live television. Fortunately, both my dad and sister live at Upper East Side.

I am coming to grips with the events of last Tuesday. I cannot fathom how it must feel to lose friends, family members and fellow colleagues in less than two hours, but I share their grief and mourn for their loss. It upsets me to recall horrifying images of men and women throwing themselves out of the towers to avoid being blown up.

Nothing and nothing else justifies flying a plane with passengers into a building full of people. It is pure evil that the human race can come up with such horrific means to seek revenge on the US and to make a point, whatever that may be.

So it's retaliation time. Quid pro quo . You destroy our city, we attack your country. With US military troops and allied forces around the world. The new war of this century, as many have since reported, is the war against terrorism.

Yet it is surprising to see that malaysiakini's poll is nearly 60 percent in favour of reviewing foreign policy, instead of military retaliation. It somewhat offers a glimmer of hope for me about people and that old adage to use brain not brawn. To me, it means that people are thinking with their minds and hearts, and not with M-16s. Wisdom before weapons.

Are we eternally denied peace on earth?

LINK TO POLL