cont'd:

Turn back to 9/11.

Remember the community of outrage and national resolve? America had not been so united since the first Day of Infamy - 12/7/41.

We knew who the enemy was then.

We knew who the enemy was shortly after 9/11.

Because we have mislaid 9/11, we have endless sideshow squabbles about whether the surge is working, if we are "safer" now, whether the FBI should listen in on foreign phone calls, whether cops should detain odd-acting "flying imams," whether those plotting alleged attacks on Fort Dix or Kennedy airport are serious threats or amateur bumblers. We bicker over the trees while the forest is ablaze.

America's fabric is pulling apart like a cheap sweater.

What ...

cont'd:

Turn back to 9/11.

Remember the community of outrage and national resolve? America had not been so united since the first Day of Infamy - 12/7/41.

We knew who the enemy was then.

We knew who the enemy was shortly after 9/11.

Because we have mislaid 9/11, we have endless sideshow squabbles about whether the surge is working, if we are "safer" now, whether the FBI should listen in on foreign phone calls, whether cops should detain odd-acting "flying imams," whether those plotting alleged attacks on Fort Dix or Kennedy airport are serious threats or amateur bumblers. We bicker over the trees while the forest is ablaze.

America's fabric is pulling apart like a cheap sweater.

What would sew us back together?

Another 9/11 attack.

The Golden Gate Bridge. Mount Rushmore. Chicago's Wrigley Field. The Philadelphia subway system. The U.S. is a target-rich environment for al Qaeda.

Is there any doubt they are planning to hit us again?

If it is to be, then let it be. It will take another attack on the homeland to quell the chattering of chipmunks and to restore America's righteous rage and singular purpose to prevail.

The unity brought by such an attack sadly won't last forever.

The first 9/11 proved that. *

E-mail stubyko@phillynews.com or call 215-854-5977. For recent columns:

http://go.philly.com/byko.

Think about it.

Actually ratiflar, people aren't divided for the reason you've stated. They're divided due to political agendas getting in the way, perceptions being different and some for the "sake of democracy", the anti-establishment clause.

When reality of 9/11 attack hits - then everyone quickly (unfortunately for a short time only) understands what the threat is and it is one country, after all. Then the cycle repeats, apparently 9/11 wasn't devastating enough for some.

So, as sad as it is, I agree with the headline and have stated (with much regret) the same sentiment somewhere before. You can only turn the other cheek for so long... eventually you decide to retaliate, regardless of other countr...

Actually ratiflar, people aren't divided for the reason you've stated. They're divided due to political agendas getting in the way, perceptions being different and some for the "sake of democracy", the anti-establishment clause.

When reality of 9/11 attack hits - then everyone quickly (unfortunately for a short time only) understands what the threat is and it is one country, after all. Then the cycle repeats, apparently 9/11 wasn't devastating enough for some.

So, as sad as it is, I agree with the headline and have stated (with much regret) the same sentiment somewhere before. You can only turn the other cheek for so long... eventually you decide to retaliate, regardless of other countries, rhetoric, politics etc. When that happens - perhaps we'll put the end to this insanity once and for all.

What does the anti-Establishment clause have to do with this?

And what is the nature of the threat, I think everybody understand that (except for a few). Its al-Qaeda fighting a terrorist campaign against the U.S. and its allies, which they believe will liberate their region and open their way for their narrow interpretation of Islam and their wacked out dream of re-establishing the Caliphate (which last time it existed it was run by Turks, who where not very well liked by the Arabs, you know the whole Lawrence of Arabia thing).

Hasn't the U.S. retaliated? What was (and is) the war in Afghanistan about? Going after the perpetrators and their supporters.

The divisions come when people re...

What does the anti-Establishment clause have to do with this?

And what is the nature of the threat, I think everybody understand that (except for a few). Its al-Qaeda fighting a terrorist campaign against the U.S. and its allies, which they believe will liberate their region and open their way for their narrow interpretation of Islam and their wacked out dream of re-establishing the Caliphate (which last time it existed it was run by Turks, who where not very well liked by the Arabs, you know the whole Lawrence of Arabia thing).

Hasn't the U.S. retaliated? What was (and is) the war in Afghanistan about? Going after the perpetrators and their supporters.

The divisions come when people realize that they been sold a load of crap, that they had been lied to and that the external threat (real or otherwise) is been exploited for political gain.

@ratiflar, yep, you certainly stated it pretty accurately, although I don't understand why so many don't get it.

As for our retaliation, what I meant in my comment is retaliation that would put an end to the whole sorry scenario. NOT the PC war we've been engaged in.

Nobody was sold anything. You keep looking at the pre-war intelligence as the only fact on the table and that's an extremely narrow view on the whole story, which should include the '93 WTC attack, African attacks, USS Cole - all of that was part of the war on us, yet we didn't do anything in return. Afghanistan was the first country, based on what sadam did and was threatening to do, combined with intelligence and desire...

@ratiflar, yep, you certainly stated it pretty accurately, although I don't understand why so many don't get it.

As for our retaliation, what I meant in my comment is retaliation that would put an end to the whole sorry scenario. NOT the PC war we've been engaged in.

Nobody was sold anything. You keep looking at the pre-war intelligence as the only fact on the table and that's an extremely narrow view on the whole story, which should include the '93 WTC attack, African attacks, USS Cole - all of that was part of the war on us, yet we didn't do anything in return. Afghanistan was the first country, based on what sadam did and was threatening to do, combined with intelligence and desire to go after countries that promote terrorism - Iraq was a legitimate target.