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Pomeroy: Answer Is Justice, Not Violence

By Tracy Fugere

Fargo, ND – Justice, not vengeance.

North Dakota Congressman Earl Pomeroy says that's how he and a lot of North Dakotans he's talked to in the past week say is the answer to how the United States should react to last week's terrorist attack.

"This isn't just about retribution, although I think it legitimately is in part about retribution. But the people that did this to us can do it again and thousands of additional innocent civilian lives can be lost, if we don't eliminate them from the business of terrorism. And that's what I think we have to be prepared to do and it's going to take awhile and it's going to be difficult, but the United States of America can get this job done."

Pomeroy says this is a very different time.

"And as similar as it feels to the way it was one week ago Monday--it's not one week ago Monday, it's a new day and it's never going to be quite the same again. We have to-as North Dakotans and Americans-talk this through together, trying to help one another understand what happened and forging a collective response. I believe that Bin Laden and his terrorist network have sorely misjudged the USA and the Americans that populate this country."

Pomeroy was in Fargo Monday visiting the Fargo Airport, Lake Agassiz Kiwanis Club, and North Dakota State University. Tonight he will be holding a community conversation at the NDSU Alumni Center to get more public feedback and answer questions regarding last week's attacks.