I believe that the United States retaliatory attacks on Afghanistan and the Taliban are warranted, despite the possible civilian casualties incurred. First of all, it is necessary to send a message to the world that such terrorist activities as occurred on September 11, and those that have been occurring since with the increasingly frequent anthrax cases. Secondly, the United States has backing in this war, whether from supplies and resources or merely moral support and approval, of many nations around the world. On of the strongest supporters of America's war on terrorism is Britain's prime minister Tony Blair. Support has also been provided from such countries as India and Canada in the form of information either on potential terrorist attacks in the United States or concerning the Taliban. Finally, while the inevitable civilian casualties are regrettable, they are a price that must be paid in order to ensure the safety of the United States. The events of the past few months are not the first time that Osama bin Laden and his network of terrorists have wreaked havoc in the United States, and the only way for American citizens to be completely safe from such a threat is for bin Laden and his followers to be taken out. While it is always difficult to accept civilian casualties, the morality of such actions can be justified in the context of war ethics. The philosopher Nagel, in one of his essays entitled "War and Massacre" recognized that there are times when innocent people must die in the course of a war, and while the attackers are bound to feel a sense of grief at the unnecessary losses, they are sometimes necessary for preserving the good of a greater number of people. In this case, not only American lives but the state of most Western countries are at stake. It is important that the American people and the global community stand firmly behind the United States" war on terrorism, in order to ensure a more peaceful and safe world.