Two years ago America stood naked and unprepared for a disaster which would shock and alter the psyche of the American people forever. Two years later, America stands naked and unprepared yet again.

Since the tragic events of Sept. 11, the Bush administration has forged a battle against the evils of terrorism, claiming to have captured and significantly disabled large networks of terrorists across the globe. They have prevented future attacks, bolstered intelligence to suit the comfort and security of Americans everywhere and toppled a long-standing oppressive regime in Iraq. I fear, however, that our government has only increased the uncertainty of America's future, and strengthened our vulnerability.

The Bush administration, which operated under a guise of "compassionate conservatism," has acted anything but compassionately or conservatively since Sept. 11. They have rushed into a war with arguably no burden of evidence connecting al-Qaida or any other terrorist network with Saddam Hussien's regime. They have severely compromised America's relationship with the rest of the world - undermining the authority of the United Nations.

American troops, who have yet to find any weapons of mass destruction, work in grave danger; spread dangerously thin across a hostile and angry Iraqi people. But what troubles me the most is that our American government has massively misguided and deceived the American people using the emotions of Sept. 11 to swell support for a war which holds virtually no grounds of truth. America now stands at a most troubling time, as naked and unprepared as it has ever been.

Arthur Tanimoto

advertising senior