But the reality is perhaps also one in which America is trapped by its own cynicism: if bin Laden is indeed, as the American authorities seem to think, the organizer of the September 11th attacks, how can we not remember that bin Laden himself was created by the CIA, that he was one of the elements of a policy, turned against the Soviets, that Americans knowingly believed in. Would it not then be America which gave birth to this devil?
In any case, America is going to change. Profoundly. She is like a great oceanliner, remaining along the same course. And even when that course is bent, she stays solidly on that course. Even though it's a cliche, the U.S. has sustained an unprecedented shock. Without going back to the very first attack on its territory, that of 1812 when the British army burned the White House to the ground, the most comparable event which comes to mind is Pearl Harbor. This was in 1941, far from the mainland, with bombers against a naval fleet: the horror of Pearl Harbor is nothing when compared to what has just happened. There really is no comparison in a proper sense: yesterday 2,400 sailors, today a LOT more innocent civilians.