[newsgatherer]

But, I have to wonder. What if we had stayed out of world politics and associations after our own civil war? What if the only international contact we had was through commerace? What if we hadn't started this foreign aid stuff? Would we have still been attacked?

I don't know, and we will never know, but since we have sterred a course of intervention, it would be foolhardy to suggest that President Bush back off after we were attacked.

Jake

[self_evident]

What if the only international contact we had was through commerace?

Commerce needs to be defended. Something that should go without saying, since 9/11 was principally an attack on our commerce. Bin Laden stated as much.

[lepton]

But, I have to wonder. What if we had stayed out of world politics and associations after our own civil war? What if the only international contact we had was through commerace? What if we hadn't started this foreign aid stuff? Would we have still been attacked?

First, we could not engage in broad commerce without either us or another power making sure ports and seas are open...and if it wasn't us, we'd likely be contending with another power.

Second, Bin Laden and his ilk hate us because we are measurably superior in many ways, and he considers that an insult to Islam. He hates us because we are, we are a great nation, and we are not Muslim.