Despite my cynical skepticism concerning motivations governmental, this story might well be true, that a shift in US policy toward Palestine was already planned before September 11, to be announced on Sept. 13.  Attacking the WTC after the US took such a pro-Arab stance would make bin Laden's efforts to paint America as an enemy of Islam dubious at best.  Though the proximity in time of these two events may be coincidental, still it raises the disquieting proposition that the terrorists' intelligence regarding the intentions of the US government was (and maybe still is) highly accurate and timely.  The timing of the atrocity on the day it happened was obviously precise, but the choice of that day in particular was, I thought, a random one, based on opportunism more than on intelligence from within the White House. 

I have always stood in awe of the story of the state of Isreal, while naively overlooking the human toll of the violence there, as well as overlooking the reasons which have given rise to that violence.  Human deaths -- whether Arab or Jew -- cannot be overlooked, and there have been many on both sides.  Likewise, the beliefs and free will of individuals must not be overlooked either.  But where to draw the line?  Surely, some things must be banned; murder, torture, terrorism, and abuse of power to name a few.  And some things must be preserved; life, the freedom and respect to live it with dignity, peace.  The difficulty arises between the extremes -- when the way I want to live my life imposes restrictions on the way you want to live yours.  (I know this is a vast oversimplification, but I don't have much time.). 

As much as I dislike the way Bush came to be president, he is.  And as much as I am loath to admit it, I think he is right to seek to preserve (or create) a balance between Isreal and Palestine. 

And while New York mayor Guliani may be right in principle, egos such as his will make these balancing efforts more difficult. 

What could the point of this possibly be?  Are they promoting Bert along with fanaticsm?  Is Bert a terrorist?  Have they even infiltrated Sesame Street? 

Maybe bin Laden's videotaped messages do not include any coded instructions to terrorists in the United States; maybe they get all their direction from Sesame Street, and Bert.

They don't, I know.  But they should.