The last few days have tested American resilience, unity and moral fortitude. President George W. Bush, in the initial stages of a presidency-defining trial by fire, presents the most visible face of this struggle. Though the attacks forced the president to fly across the nation, fearing for his safety, he managed to address the nation three times during the tragic day, each appearance marked by a queer countenance, at once showing obvious distress and reserved strength.

But America needs more than a talking head. Now, more than ever, this country needs a level-headed leader. Bush seems to have succeeded in his choice of staff, at least. Under his watch, the largest investigation in U.S. history continues to yield lead after lead and has shown great progress in a shorter time frame than would have seemed possible less than a week ago.

Bush’s visibility has so far been commendable. Several times each day, he addressed the nation, and the progress of the investigation stands as a good indicator to his administrative prowess. Still, he has a long road ahead of him and plenty of room for improvement. While the substance of his reaction to the situation is admirable, the style with which he executes his duties leaves much to be desired. And considering the gravity of the decisions he will soon need to make, the public’s perception of his style can quickly turn into the substance of their reaction. His delivery needs a lot of work. Though strong words promising retribution and justice pepper his speeches, they do little more than make Americans feel at ease. Just as it is not fair to compare these despicable attacks to Pearl Harbor, perhaps it is also not fair to compare Bush to Franklin D. Roosevelt, but the inspiration found in Roosevelt’s speeches would certainly help Bush overcome the challenges ahead – while still keeping America behind him.

Despite his shortcomings, the nation has rallied to his side. The attacks seemed to crystallize patriotism – even in those who didn’t know they had it – and political party affiliation fell by the wayside immediately as people struggled through their shock. But the most treacherous part of this terrible road might still lie ahead. As the initial disbelief wears off, an anger bordering on hatred is almost bound to set in. The early manifestations are already beginning to appear: a firebombing at the Islamic Society of Denton, Texas; a man wearing a ski mask firing an assault weapon into a Gary, Ind., gas station where a Yemen-born U.S. citizen was working; a Pakistani native beaten by three men in Tulsa, Okla.

“Our nation must be mindful that there are thousands of Arab-Americans that live in New York City who love the flag just as much” as other Americans, Bush told New York’s mayor, Rudy Giuliani, and governor, George Pataki, on Thursday.

But the president must be more inspiring if he is to keep this country away from the mob mentality and direct America into an uncertain future. Minute by minute, America marches ever closer to war. And as we do, the depth and breadth of what such a war would entail becomes clearer. Thursday, Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz said the United States will engage in a sustained military campaign in response to the terrorist attacks. “One thing that is clear is you don’t do it with just a single military strike, no matter how dramatic,” he said. “We’re going to keep after these people and the people who support them until this stops.”

If Osama bin Laden planned the attacks – which the Pentagon seems intent on not denying – and the U.S. military invades Afghanistan, we will be engaged in a war the likes of which America has never seen. A cross between World War II and Vietnam, it will be devastating. Hidden in the mountains, air attacks will not eradicate bin Laden and those with him. Ground assaults on those entrenched positions will cost many American lives. And what of bin Laden’s organization, which, including others with which it is connected, spans nearly the entire Middle East and is reputed to have factions across the globe? Ignoring terrorist caches outside the Arab world, we are still faced with an enemy that doesn’t need to disguise itself as part of the civilian population; it is actually a part of that population. This is terrorism’s greatest strength. After striking, they can recede back into a city, an apartment, a home. They are safe because, to get all of them, a nation would have to exterminate innocent civilians. Killing innocents is wrong. That’s why we are so shocked and angry at Tuesday’s attacks and that’s why, if the nation is going to support Bush in a war against terrorists, we will have to have faith in him.

There is no middle ground on this. If America goes to war against terrorists and if we do so intending to actually end the threat, we had better be prepared for deaths not only of American soldiers but of thousands of innocents as well. Bush must make the American people believe in him if he expects long-standing dedication to the atrocity of war.