Bin Laden achieved his goal of bleeding America.

 WE ARE STILL SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES OF  911

BUSH'S MEMORIAL SPEECH NEVER QUESTIONED HIS POLICY 

This weekend was the 20th anniversary of the destruction of the world trade center. It is an event that without a doubt changed the direction of world and the final result may not yet be realized. 

911 was a reaction to U.S. middle east policy, it was not the beginning of a war of ideology or a reaction against the idea of democracy. It was a reaction to our interventions into the affairs of the Muslim world. 

While it was dastardly action against a civilian population it was a predictable possibility that was forsawn by many analysts and intelligence operatives.

In fact, Bin Laden himself was very open in his writings and video releases that he and his allies would take such actions if we did not remove our troops from Saudi Arabia. When Saudi Arabia became the staging ground for the first gulf war it was supported by many in that area, but the permanent presence in Saudi Arabia of U.S. troops was feared by many. This was the impetus of Bin Laden's war on America.

Most everyone dismissed Bin Laden's many video releases as the ranting's of a Muslim fanatic, possibly unhinged. He was very clear in his intentions and had no illusions about his chance of survival. 

His warning was that if we did not suspend our interventions in the Muslim world he and has allies would bleed America much in the same way that they bled the Soviet Union. His understood that an attack on our homeland would bring about a massive response that would cause us to expend trillions of dollars and many lives of  Americans and our allies. He saw and articulated this scenario many times.

It would also change America forever in that we would need to respond with increased and costly security at home that is still with us today. Life in America has changed forever since 911. I doubt that we will ever return to a time that preceded this event. 

We have seen the Patriot act which not only was used as a tool for surveillance of foreign enemies by also on American citizens, a huge increase in Federal 'government power in many areas, not just concerning terrorism. In effect, a creation of a massive surveillance bureaucracy that continues to grow and expand today.

I suspect that the consequences of the actions put in motion by the 911 attack will continue for many years to come.