AN UNLIKELY SAVIOR :

Osama bin Laden Has Given Common Identity Back to the West (SAMUEL P. HUNTINGTON, Winter 2002, New Perspectives Quarterly)

[U]ndeniably, the terrorist actions of Osama bin Laden have reinvigorated civilizational identity. Just as he sought to rally Muslims by declaring war on the West, he gave back to the West its sense of common identity in defending itself.

The point Mr. Huntington raises is still somewhat uncomfortable for folks to contemplate, but if we were to put this unity to some greater purpose than just beating radical Islam, which though worthwhile is ultimately a fairly minor chore, then we might look back on September 11, 2001 as having helped to save us from ourselves by remembering where we came from. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 26, 2002 8:49 PM