You are absolutly right (on most occasions). I have tried, MULTIPLE TIMES, to persuade my father of the exact same thing you said. It didn't work. He believes that all Arabs should die, just to kill Osam bin Lada (did I say that right?). I tried to convince him of it, but he wouldn't listen. I also tried the "You'd die from a nuclear winter too, Dad" tactic, but he said he didn't care, at least his grandchildren would not have to go through this. Which is pretty stupid, seeing as how I would die too, so it's unlikely he'd have any grandchildren. However, he was really angry when I talked to him on the phone, so that probably inspired his actions, because he's usually a calm, rational, and reasoning person.
Yes, I am very well aware that there are other ways to blow stuff up besides a hijacked plane, but the goverment is well aware of that to, and they're doing all that they can to raise security and make sure somebody doesn't drive a greyhound bus on a rampage through Chicago or something.
As to your thing on the children, they probably don't understand what they're doing, and if they do, kill them. For every innocent American life, 100 Arabic soldiors should die. Both of us are right, there ARE people trying to leave the country and all of its evil and predjudice, and there are also people who think they're in the promised land, and they are proud to be a palistine. It is unfair to be so judgemental and kill them all, regardless of their belief or political allignment. Now, if I could convince my Dad of that...
However, I'm not saying we shouldn't use military force. I just think it's unfair to blow the place to smithereeens, without so much a care of what other civillians died with them. In my opinion, I'd make SURE that I knew who did it, because if you went to war with someone, won, and killed millions of people, only to discover that it was some guy who was connected to the Oklahoma City bombing, having nothing to do with the people you just killed. That'd be a pretty pickle for Uncle Scam, wouldn't it? So, I would be COMPLETLY sure. I would then send diplomatic realtions, kindly but firmly demanding the execution of the perpatrators and that of any assistants or followers, and if the Afganys declined (or didn't reply), I'd send the same message, only this time with a continual 50 batalion of 50 warbirds, armed with cruise missles. Set up a shift system, make sure that there are ALWAYS 50 there, and if they don't concede within a month, evacuate civilians in Apache's, and then blow the whole place to hell.