I see you're currently under fire from the "doves".
You keep stating they just tell what's NOT to be done.

Here's the line again: targeting the whole of Afghanistan is NOT the answer. Why not?
Because it's going to antagonize 1 billion mulsims and probably the rest of the world
as well - like, you know, responding to a mass murder with another mass murder
isn't going to keep sympathies up very long.

Does that mean America has to surrender, though? Hell no.

Only, the appropriate response ought to take a long time and is going to be far less flashy
and attractive as a 24/24 CNN coverage of "smart bombs" falling down thatched huts and
bombing a nation reduced to slavery by an insane minority into oblivion.

What other courses of actions should be examined?

1. Put immediate priority on identifying financial holdings of major
terrorist networks, block their funds and confiscate them. Most nations
will collaborate, especially if it goes along with an information
campaign that the terrorist's cash is going to be used to fight
terrorism. Top priority should, of course, be set on Bin Laden's
finances. It's a tad harder to send terrorists into "dormant mode" when
flight tickets become less affordable and schooling fees in German
universities suddenly top the expense list. Of course, if it is clear
to anyone that Bin Laden has shorted insurance companies, he's going to
want to realize his options today - an excellent opportunity to shave
off his cash accounts, but that would mean acting NOW.

2. Create a "Marshall Plan" of sorts for poor islamic nations to take
active fighting against terrorism and islamic fundamentalism. The
latter grows on misery and provides fanatical cannonfodder to the
former. Extend the offer to any country willing to take active
measures, even Iran. Link it to clearly identified control points:
supression of Jihad rethoric from official sources, arresting eventual
known terrorist and extradition where required, closing down of
training camps, tracking down funding. In exchange, the West takes
active measures to help build these countries' economies and improve
the health and social conditions. One caveat, though: this should not
be linked to mandatory changes in current forms of government,
because it will be immediately rejected as ingerance (sp?).

3. Get those responsible for last Tuesday, once clearly identified,
either expelled through the above "Marshall plan" or removed forcefully
by special forces. Put them on trial. Once they get sentenced to death
penalty, though, don't just execute them: Put them in front of an Islamic
religious court, to denounce their flawed theories and their blasphemies.
I expect the sentence is beheading - do that publicly. Let the world know
that those savages have been found guilty before both men and God,
to further cut down ideological ground from would-be followers.

4. If needed, support, train and finance opponents to regimes not
subscribing to the Marshall plan.

5. Make adjustments to certain foreign policy stances:
- reconsidering the absolute need to station troops permanently in Saudi Arabia
might be a good idea. As long as a majority of muslims see this as a blasphemy,
this is going to provoke further violence. There are other Gulf nations providing
possible bases which are NOT located on "holy ground".

- Change Middle-East policy. First things, Sharon's current state terror must stop.
The second intifada must stop as well. Use maximal economical pressure both against
Israel and Palestinians to force them back to the negociation table. No more playing
favorites either: condemn both Israely and Palestinian violence with equal strength.

These are 5 steps which can be initiated to effectively fight terrorism, by attacking both
breeding ground and obvious motives. All the civilized democracies should join in doing so.
Of course, this won't satisfy the need for blood held by outraged US citizen.
Unfortunately, to give in to this need by mass-bombing other innocents
will only award an additional sense of victory to the terrorists.

A loyal reader.
 

One thing I'd add to that:
Make damn sure every nation knows they're either with us or against us.
There should be no neutral ground for weenies to hide in.
We cut off any nation who doesn't agree and we cut off any nation
who forwards our goods to a nation on the black list.