A nicely written piece attempting to explain America's internal political currents before, during, and after 9/11. (Free registration required for full text.)

[In November 2000] Bush was more of an isolationist, and he had criticized America's recent involvement in peacekeeping missions, scorning the very idea of "nation-building." And, in this, he was perhaps closer to the emerging America than Clinton was--an America at peace with modern culture and modern capitalism, self-satisfied, and without large global ambitions.

Objectively seen, those attacks did nothing to change the balance of power in the world, as an invasion or assassination might have. The bastards got lucky; that is all. But, like a trauma victim who suddenly sees his surrounding environment as alien and hostile, the United States reacted to those events by disengaging itself from reality, internationally and domestically. Mental disengagement combined military engagement--a recipe for disaster.

As a nation we are woefully unprepared for a national emergency; 9/11 and Katrina proved that. In addition, I think the Democrats have no tangible strategy for dealing with the religious fundamentalists that are in control of the political power.