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Safe

07:30 / 13.09.01

One thing everyone affected by the events in America have in common is the same gut wrenching fear-- you can see it in their eyes. From the hotdog seller in the NY streets to the eyes of the republican senator baying for blood.

They are scared. THey thought they were untouchably safe and now know that they aren't

America Lost its sense of safety on Tuesday. No longer could any American believe that they were safe in fortress America, that the worries of the world didn't affect them.

America realised it was just as vulnerable as everyone else, despite how many missiles, and men and god knows what else it has.

I guess I juat want to ask is what everyone else feels about this. Is America's loss of illusion of Safety a good thing?

Will it force the nation to handle its foreign relations in a different way, or will it just provoke some scared retaliation?

What do you guys think?

Ganesh

07:42 / 13.09.01

In fairness, I think many non-Americans also thought of the US as somehow impregnable; the fact that this has happened right in the centre of the capital of the most powerful nation on Earth has shocked us all.

During other conflicts (the Gulf War, I think) I remember feeling incensed when American celebrities cancelled tours and visits to the UK because it "wasn't safe" from bomb-threats, etc.

It's too early at present to say whether the reaction will be angry/xenophobic or shocked/questioning. Will Bush conclude that the US needs to get on with the rest of the world, or merely that more force must be applied to 'take it in hand'?

I'm guessing that many, many 'average Americans' are already on a steep learning curve with regard to Middle East history and politics...

07:49 / 13.09.01

Yes, Ganesh I think the rest of the world was just as shocked as the US - Tony Blair looked visibly shaken with the news. as you say, this could go either way.

12:01 / 13.09.01

I've never felt the US was "safe"...It was simply a matter of time before someone had the resources to let us know how they really feel about us. I just wish, out of all the individuals, organizations, nations and countries that hate the US enough to do this...I wish I knew which of them it was.