A lot of people have been asking "How could we have let this happen?" in relation to security, and whether or not we 'knew' about it before hand or perhaps if we would have gotten bin Laden or whomever it was before they had a chance to carry this out, etc. etc. There are a few things that need to be said here, first about this specific incident, and about its place in a much wider context. 1. The CIA/NSA/FBI does one heck of job IMHO of keeping our government informed and ready and constantly takes proactive measures to ensure the security of the country. If only we knew of all the terrible things that our intelligence and security infrasture, all the way from the leaders of the FBI and CIA on down to airport security guards have PREVENTED. There must be quite a laundry list of awful things that 'could have been.' Thank goodness we have such people working 24/7 to watch out for us. This is definately not the time to criticize anyone or point fingers, and thankfully very few people have done so. No one, except those who shall remain nameless, wanted this to happen. 2. I think that this incident, and the war that will most likely follow it, is another in a long line of military/political catastrophes that have come to characterize the relationship between Islamic civilizations and the 'west.' American policy and the american people to a large extent have a lack of understanding and a lack of respect for Islam. It's only in the last few decades that Muslims have ceased to be referred to in history textbooks as the 'saracens' or the woefully inaccurate term 'mohammedans.' The crux of the idea I got in high school about Islam was that they almost took good ol' Europe, but luckily we stopped them at Tours and eventually took back Spain, and whipped them at Lepanto + Vienna. 90% of the muslims americans see on television are armed. I really feel that American policy has reflected this mis-understanding and lack of respect. In a nation that only 40 years ago thought it was awfully progressive by electing <gasp> an irish catholic to the white house, and more recently by nominating <gasp> a jew as a vice-presidential candidate needs to come to its senses with Islam. How amazing would it be to see a U.S. President speak in the capital of an Islamic country about the achievements of Islamic civilization, and the legitimacy of the Islamic faith. We've considered Muslims the 'infidel' for too long, and I only fear that Tuesday will reinforce this unfortunate stereotype. And needless to say, the same holds true about people in Islamic countries who only hear about americans as ugly capitalists who value money above all else. <continued>
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