The other day a relative–71 years old–was listening to Bush’s speech before Congress. She later told me he had said he would use whatever military avenues “are necessary,” and concluded this meant the “Atomic Bomb!” Then she broke down.
Granted the attacks last week deserve a particularly severe retribution but I don 't think even he is going to be dumb enough to use a sledgehammer when what you want to do is swat 100,000 flies…
My 71-year-old mother went through WWII, Korea, and the Cold War, and her take on the current “war” was a philosophical, “At least we aren’t planting vegetables in the front yard while the daddies go off to fight, or stockpiling canned goods in the basement in case of fallout.”
So if it helps, you can tell Auntie that she’s got at least one contemporary who isn’t worried. 