... I'm an optimist, but we surely cannot become complacent while preserving the intent of our Founding Fathers intent of the complexion of this great country.

First off: I am very pessimistic about the ability of our administration to become ruthless and willing to do whatever is necessary to track down and destroy terrorist organizations as well as making war upon nations which harbor and give aid to these groups.

Given my pessimism I think that the following will happen.
(1.) Taliban and Osama Bin Laden will be destroyed. However their successors will not share the same fate.

(2.) very little if anything will happen to countries such as Iran, Libya, Syria, Sudan which give shelter and money to these groups.

(3.) The war will (like the ongoing "War on Drugs") be perpetual and mostly undercover.

(4.) Assasinations will be routinely carried out and openly sanctioned by our government.

(5.) There will be a National ID card. There will be a dramatic increase in domestic spying. (there already is since the bombing however this is "unofficial"). Such spying (monitoring the Internet, warrantless wiretapping and searches will become routine).
Increased number of Gun Control Laws.

(6.) A few reforms done at the pentagon: increased mobility and readiness of rapid deployment troops. Increased numbers of Special Forces.

(7.) Posse Commitatus Act being completely repealed.

(8.) possible weakening of Habeus Corpus

I hope we do come through it and become a better country.  I'd like to see us take a more realistic and positive view of our freedom and our part in the world community.  However, I would not be surprised to see exactly the opposite happening.  Many believe freedom can be traded for security, and that is the currency with which police states are purchased.  When I hear people talk about the necessity to forego our 4th and 5th amendment rights (though, they never phrase it that way, they always find a way to make it sound nice) in order to be secure, I have to cringe.  If the polls that have been taken recently are even remotely representative of society, we have enough votes to repeal the bill of rights, as well as the people coming up with reasons why we should do that.

I'm not sure if patriotism is making a comeback.  I see less of people rethinking what it means to be an American and more of people trying to redefine it.  What's happening seems like rampant nationalism in its infancy.  The kind of blind nationalism that can be used to justify anything.  Just like in all those other countries over the last decade who did unspeakable things that I keep hearing "can't happen here."

I hope you're right and I'm just being cynical.  This is one of those things I'd be happy to be totally wrong about.

I hope you're right, Garryowen. I tend to be a bit more pessimistic.

This is why they should rename it Operation Martyr Maker instead.