Mr. Cushman claims that islamic terrorism is a much worse threat to democracy than the reaction of the Bush administration to it. I do not agree with him. First of all terrorist attacks are rather a threat to our security than to our democracy. They might even strengthen our democracy. And by the way mr. Cushman: do you consider traffic accidents a threat to our democracy? Second: the threat to democracy also depends on the power of the people behind the threat. Although George W. Bush and his administration are 'only' responsible for illegal detention, torture and the suspension of basic rights of suspects of terrorism, they have much more power than Al Queda and are therefore maybe an even more dangerous threat.