In the cross hairs of history is George W. Bush. How he rises to this occasion will determine not just this nation's destiny, and certainly his own place in it, but also the planet home to the human race.

This catastrophic event ranks in magnitude in American history ahead of the Japanese Empire's sneak attack on Pearl Harbor.

Millions of Americans who could not be bothered to see or think beyond the end of their noses were, in the course of one unbelievable morning, slammed into facing realities that did not exist, at least in their minds, when the day dawned.

Now America Really Is First
 Those realities are:

At all costs, America must be saved – for its own sake, for the sake of the civilized world.

Petty political posturing will be back soon enough, but in the foreseeable future is dead.

The president so reviled and resented by the allies and apologists for the political left is now the president of all.

His opponents, caught in midstride as they sought to gut his plan for a national missile-defense shield, will now scramble to give him what he wants to defend the people who live in this country.

No Time for Nut Cases

There will be a mad rush to find scapegoats, but this is too severe for crazies to be listened to.

In short order, the American people will respond to calm, rational, courageous and unwavering national leadership.

In the wake of this awful assault on America, there will set in a sobering awakening by the American people.

It will begin with parents frightened at what perils might befall their children and go on to a critical re-examination of what quality of education those youngsters have been receiving.

A Test of Press Credibility

It will spread to a wary assessment of what Americans can believe, and what they cannot, that is beamed out to them by an elitist news media that has not dealt straight with them.

It will cause Americans to look with gimlet eyes upon any politician who says, "Trust me."

No longer will there be room for tolerance of voices raised in sympathy with America's detractors, at home or abroad.

There will be only one side now – America's.

No More Coddling

Forget more concessions to China, to North Korea, to Iran, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, to any potential enemy of the United States, including Russia.

Forget the budget wrangling. Whatever it takes will be forthcoming.

Forget those political one-notes who kept saying, "It's the economy, stupid."

It never has been. It has always been America's national security in a world hostile beyond belief.

Indecency Suddenly Not 'Cool'

Television networks will have to scrap their plans for flooding the nation's TV sets with blasphemous, foul-language programming. This country is now in no mood.

The snickering against those who believe in God will not cease, but it will fall on increasingly uninterested ears.

This nation will be holding hands again.

No, this is not war – this is far, far beyond war.

The life of every American will never in this world be the same again.