Spare Us!

Peter A. Brown
Orlando Sentinel

Mr. Brown:

In your column of July 8th, you begin by asking why, in the four years since 9/11, there has been no terrorist attack in the U.S. equivalent to the bombings in Madrid and London. You start to conclude, correctly enough, "it is impossible to know for certain why something does not occur", but then contradict yourself by declaring "[c]learly . . . the lack of a terrorist incident in the United States since 9-11 . . . stems from U.S. government measures, or terrorists' decision that their self-interest requires them to look elsewhere for targets of opportunity."

No, sorry, this is not at all clear. Much less is it clear, as you try very hard to suggest, that recent history vindicates the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act of 2001, much less that it retroactively justifies the invasion of Iraq.

To start with, wouldn't such a construal require a vote of thanks and belated apology to Bill Clinton for the policies which prevented the al Qaeda attacks of 1995 and 1999?

Unthinkably yours,

John M. Burt
Corvallis, Oregon"

//The Magic 8-Ball says, "When Hell freezes over."\\