[wretchard]

"But who is the genie's brain?"

Curiously, he may not have one. Not in the singular. Militant Islam is a world view, imbued with many regional cultural characteristics, which arises from a mindset which has become second nature to its practicioners. This phenomenon has been observed among lifelong Communists, leading one person to characterize the international left as "the Hive". If you are scripturally inclined, you might take this answer:

"He asked him, "What is your name?" He said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many"

[Mitchell]

Curiously, he may not have one. Not in the singular.

Yes, this is one possible answer. But there must have been a person, or a small group of people, behind the Fall, 2001, attacks. And they had a strategy in mind, since one doesn't engage in something like that without a follow-up plan.

Undoubtedly, part of the plan is to foment mob turmoil, disorganized and chaotic, outside of anyone's control. But I do not believe that that is the whole story. (To whatever extent a "hive," as you put it, emerges, opportunistic leaders will arise to take advantage of the situation.)

So I still think this is an important question to ask: Who is running the show on the other side? It's almost a year later, and still we have very little in the way of answers.