Last night several channels had specials on the 9-11-01 terrorist attacks, I think we need to be reminded just why we are in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many people have short memories, call the attacks 'disasters' and 'tragedies' to dehumanize them, make them sound as if they were caused by forces of nature or happenstance.
No - humans did this. Evil humans who desire to inflict pain and suffering upon total strangers because we do not worship the same way that they do. We, who treasure and protect every person's right to worship as they wish. We, who believe that all people deserve certain human rights. We are the targets because we have been taught this way.
A very wise man wrote several articles on this exact topic, and said it far better than I ever could.
The Mirage of Moderate Islam
What al-Qaeda Wants
Mirror, Mirror: Why Americans Don't Understand the Threat of Jihadism
Why Diplomacy Is Doomed
Winning the War Against Terror
Follow up : 2002