Thanks for posting the Chomsky piece on your site. When the terrorist attacks first happened, Australia's free to air TV stations switched to CNN, NBC and ABC news coverage for about three days which has since dwindled to regular updates. Nevertheless, the issue still dominates the papers. The mainstream US political commentators seem to show a complete lack of capacity or willingness to reflect on US foreign policy. I mean people from the New York Post are saying that NYC was attacked by Muslims who are jealous that their society has not delivered the outcomes that the US enjoys under its socio-economic system! Really, they can't think of what elese it might be? I thought the New York Times was, along with the Washington Post, supposed to be the leading newspaper in the United States? it's a bit of a worry!

Indeed, while Bush's addresses to the nation have been lauded as landmark speeches - he isn't really saying anything. He has reduced this conflict to a good guy/bad guy Hollywood western and even Congress congratulates him and seems oblivious to the fact that wiping out terrorist structures that currently exist won't stop them from re-emergingup in the future. US foriegn policy needs to be modified but it seems that the US Government believes anything it does it beyond reproach. If you dare disagree with its policy, (as an individual or an nation-state) you're considered un-American and a terrorist sympathiser. The impression some Australian commentators have is "How can the Government claim to uphold liberty if its citizens can't even constructively criticise their government without being verbally attacked?"

I suppose this state of affairs has something to do with the United States' strong political culture - but I think the type of blind patriotism that is promoted and exhibited over there is blind and stifles any dissent or - no matter how well justified.

That's just some of the view from the southern hemisphere anyway.