Even a representative republic falls under the jurisdiction of basic spiritual laws. One of those laws being: that they who realize they are most weak are made by God into among the strongest.
It's about humility. A direly-needed trait which has been sorely missing amidst the current outpouring of patriotism. "God Bless America"? Why should He? Just because we've gone through one tragedy like this?
Hasn't it occured to anyone yet that maybe... just maybe... God is using Osama bin Laden with America, just as He used Assyria with Israel?
Do you have the humility to admit that possibility? Does anyone?
I don't believe that the attacks were a punishment from GOD. That would mean that Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Mussolini, Attilla the Hun, and on and on and on, were all punishments from GOD as well. I don't know how previlant it is in other sects, but Methodism has NEVER held that contention.