On the day before the anniversary of the September 11 attacks on America by Islamists from Al Queda, American President Barack Obama said some very necessary things. He talked about the need to continue the nation's tradition of tolerance. He spoke about staying focused on beating Al Queda. But the message seemed incomplete.

Those Americans who mocked George Bush Jr. for declaring a "war on terror" must now be wondering how it is possible that Obama has fallen into a similar trap, clarifying that America is actually in a "war on Al Queda". Bush's speech was about as useful as declaring a war on armoured personnel carriers. Obama's was like declaring war on the particular firm responsible for manufacturing said armoured personnel carriers. Better, but stll not quite good enough.

In fact, Obama's answer seemed scripted for a question that was never asked. He was replying to a question by a journalist that seemed almost to suggest that the American population's "increase in suspicion and outright resentment of Islam" was a mysterious phenomenon occurring in a vaccum. Obama should have...More >>