Fareed Zakaria: Al-Qaeda Not Really A Big Deal, Americans ‘Overreacted’ To 9/11

Mediaite.com ^ | 09/06/2010 | Frances Martel

[OldDeckHand]

Fareed Zakaria warns in Newsweek that Al-Qaeda was significantly more incompetent that Americans believed in the aftermath of 9/11, and the result is a “national-security state” that threatens civil liberties. Any other time of year, comments like this would be controversial at best, especially from the mild-mannered Zakaria. So close to the anniversary of the most painful event in recent American history, it borders on the callous.

In one of his final columns in Newsweek (Zakaria will be soon moving to Time), Zakaria questions whether the American government should have increased spending in national security after 9/11, since “Al Qaeda is simply not that deadly a threat.” He notes that the US spends “more than the rest of the world spends put together” and that the Department of Homeland Security and it’s satellite organizations “produce 50,000 reports a year—136 a day!—which of course means few ever get read.” Imagine that– the United States spends more money on national security than other countries; given the open-endedness of his point, this means we should probably be shocked that the US is spending more money on national security than, say, Switzerland or Vanuatu.

[BenLurkin]

[algernonpj]

There is an element of truth.

Are we safer because we created a dept of homeland security?

Are our borders more secure?

No and no.

It seems as though 9-11 was used as an excuse to expand the fed and enable it to monitor and regulate every breath Americans take, while allowing PC'ness to triumph common sense regarding our enemies. Had I been in charge there would have been a lot more glass in the middle east on 9-12.

[ThePatriotsFlag]

Yes, people "so over-reacted" to 911, especially on 911 ... take this fellow for instance ...

Deny all they want, say what they will but I WILL NOT FORGET 911! And neither will millions of other Americans, and they wonder why Islam has a "bad name" ... AFTER THEY DO IT TO US, then THEY DO IT TO THEMSELVES as Zakaria has done. We do not have to discredit Muslims and Islam ... it is SELF-DESTRUCTION on THEIR part.

[driftdiver]

Ahh so we should have continued with the way things were.... eh?

[driftdiver]

Ahh so we should have continued with the way things were.... eh?

[manic4organic]

I guess you could look at it from the standpoint that at least he’s honest about it. I think a majority of Muslims feel the same but hide it.