Features Editor

Col. John Schmidt (USMC Ret.) said the Tuesday attack on America was a

well coordinated terrorist attack and will have psychological impact on the entire nation.

"I was in a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce when I heard about the attack on the World Trade Center and I made the comment that another attack could follow because of the devastating shock effect it would have on our nation." Schmidt said. "It was only a short time later when a second plane crashed into the Trade Center tower."

Schmidt called the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon "pure terrorism."

"The attacks were well coordinated to inflict the greatest amount of death, destruction and psychological impact on our country," he said. "This is the most devastation, as far as death and destruction, I’ve ever seen in peace time."

Many people in the area have expressed concern because of the county’s location between installations that could possibly be targets for terrorist attacks – Lockheed Martin and Ft. Rucker.

"We do sit astride these two military installations and also Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery," Schmidt said, "but I believe we are okay here. Terrorists want to inflict death and destruction, but even moreso they want to attack us psychologically. Attacks on the larger cities, such as Atlanta and Los Angeles, would have the highest shock effect from such an attack. For that reason, I don’t believe our area would be a major target for terrorists."

Schmidt said the terrorists who attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon accomplished the purpose of

inflicting death and destruction and causing psychological effects that will impact this country for many years to come.