Tony Blair is defining some terms of our new war - I'm sure with some help from President Bush. I think it will be a very trying next six months as we move from a sense of traditional American security to what the erst of the world has been facing for quite some time now. There is another parallel to the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was a mistake for our enemies to bring us into the war, as they lost. It is a mistake again, as Americans are too proud and idealistic to allow ourselves to lose this one. Our way of life, our ideology, and our sense of identity have been attacked. From the BBC:
Speaking in Parliament Mr Blair pledged to bring to account the perpetrators of the "hideous" atrocities, who were the enemies of the civilised world.
"Those that harbour and help them have a choice - either to cease their protection of our enemies or be treated as an enemy themselves."
We're going to invent a new form of world politics. The geo-political rules we've lived with have to change. It's a guess as to what form that will take, but here is a guess. Nato will refine what they define as an enemy.
Any group (not just states anymore) that threatens the security of member nations will be declared wanted criminal organizations. Any other group (state, country, or otherwise) will be guilty by association unless they cooperate fully and unconditionally. Without unconditional cooperation, associated organizations will be subject to the same actions as the group in question.