9/11 Is Dead, Long Live 9/11

Thomas Friedman, the pro-war NY Times columnist who famously defended the invasion to Charlie Rose by stating that "what this war was about" was telling the Middle East to "Suck. On. This.", is the latest to wake up from the haze of mindless jingoism. No more endless 'six months' of war for him.

In a new column-- entitled '9/11 is over'-- he states "9/11 has made us stupid. I honor, and weep for, all those murdered on that day. But our reaction to 9/11 - mine included - has knocked America completely out of balance, and it is time to get things right again." Amen. Some have been saying this for around 5 years now, but it's always good to see more influential voices join the chorus.

The problem, of course, is that anyone who listens to the ongoing political dialogue in this country-- whether over the war, or the 2008 election, or even the Constitution-- knows that "9/11" is far from over. It's the last desperate anchor of a party which has failed in all its recent endeavors, and they are still running with it. Hard. Friedman adds that, in regards to candidate rhetoric, "We need a president who will unite us around a common purpose, not a common enemy."

Yes, we do. But that ain't happening until lots more Friedmans awake from their stupidity.