01:00 AM EDT on Friday, May 28, 2004

With the presidential election coming up, one has to wonder why, since the 9/11 tragedy, there haven't been any terrorist attacks against us. Could it be that the terrorists realize that with this president, any attack will be met with an aggressive reaction from the United States?

Terrorists, like bullies and dictators, only survive by creating an environment of having your opponent in constant fear or insecurity, thus paralyzing them from fighting back. Once this doesn't work, I'm sure it makes them uneasy.

My guess is that they are waiting for the election with the hope that John F. Kerry wins, so things can go back to the old ways, like having meetings and putting sanctions in place that never work anyway.

MIKE TOPPAZZINI

North Providence