>>wouldn't that just be a huge win for Osama bin Laden?<<
I think when the time has come for something, the time has come. Proving a point to bin Laden is a poor reason for doing something that no longer makes sense.
The events of 9/11 changed things in the Arab world, too. It's becoming more polarized, and may well morph in the direction that the Islamists wish it to take - or not. It's not our struggle unless we are invited.
Like it or not, the destruction of the World Trade Center and the violation of the Pentagon did send a giant message to the rest of the world that the United States is vulnerable. It's made everyone think about things they never thought about before.
The angry reaction by the US towards the Arab world, the hideous revelation to Americans of how much the US is hated in the Arab world, these shock waves are still travelling and haven't settled. We won't see the resolution anytime soon.
I think the members of the House of Saud got a giant wake up call, too, and instead of being able to remain in massive denial, are being forced to look at things they wanted to ignore - we have almost as much contempt for them as they have for us, only for different reasons. Their government is repressive, their people are ill treated and ignorant, the nation is little more advanced than the 19th century. Without oil, they'd be nothing. |
