A Restoration of Sanity

It has felt strange ever since the news broke, celebrating the death of somebody on the other side of the world. Yet, here we all are, undeniably satisfied with the outcome of this very long wait. But the question remains, what now?

I for one always thought the worst damage done to America by the 9-11 attacks wasn't the loss of life that day, though that was certainly terrible enough, but in the offset of America's psyche. A national paranoia overcame the United States, and we started seeing terrorists in the shadows and threats in the tides. Many national disasters since that day in 2001 have claimed the terrorist attacks, but none has struck such fear in the nation. Next thing you know, we're convinced a desert fiefdom is plotting to nuke us all and we have waged a war in Iraq. And 10 years after the attacks, we continue to engage in Afghanistan.

I have read much punditry today suggesting, of course, that this "resolve in Afghanistan" is why we got Osama last night. But if I may humbly note, that argument also suggests the ultimate mission of that action has been completed today. The head of Al Quaeda, however symbolic, has been cut off. Will a thousand Osama's grow in his place? Perhaps, and if so, we must deal with that. But this operation is over. It no longer makes sense to occupy Afghanistan, and we need to leave this nation to govern itself.

Which brings me to my hope for American foreign policy as whole. We need right now to move beyond the hawkish hypnosis which the 9-11 terrorists put us under when they attacked so long ago. We must engage once more in multilateralism, and celebrate the possibilities for people around the world instead of looking to crush them in some misdirected attempt at revenge.

I haven't written much on Libya here, in part because I am normally focused on Florida politics but also because I am personally uneasy about our presence there right now. I don't think it is helpful for America right now to drive the ouster of another Arab leader, but if we are assisting a revolution with the support of the Arab League?

In part, it has been hard to ration out my own feelings because I feel so frustrated by America's overreaches in the wake of 9-11. When our national leaders felt entitled to invade any nation in some form of retribution, I developed a great sensitivity to the effect our actions had on perception of the entire world. Even those of us who opposed the war in Iraq were impacted by 9-11 because it seemed the starting point to modern interaction abroad.

I plan to look at Libya with more sober vision now, and hope everyone around the world will do the same. I also hope those in the United States so gripped by fear of attack can move beyond the tragedy exacted a decade ago and see value in engaging a world which has evolved when we were too blinded by rage to notice.

The era of 9-11 is over. I don't want to dwell on what happened afterward, who made it happen or whether it was a rightful means to an end. We are at that end now.

Justice has been done. Osama is dead. Now, let's turn the ghost of 9-11 away as well.