Dionne on Bush post 911

Everyone is offering their retrospectives on the fifth anniversary of 911. E. J. Dionne, jr has one I like. After noting how American of all political persuasions were drawn together and the whole world was with us (even the Syrians, if you can remember back that far), he goes on,

Five years later, you look at the rancid state of our politics, the decline in America's standing in the world and the behavior of our national leadership, and you want to shed tears for your nation. This year, so much of what's being said about the events of Sept. 11 is about the political survival of the Bush administration.

Since we are waxing nostalgic, do you remember Osama bin Laden? He was the man responsible for the terrorist attacks. Saddam and the Iraqis had nothing to do with it. Bush stopped talking about him for awhile, and now suddenly he is talking about him all the time.

That is fair enough, as a political ploy. But what became of this man whom Bush swore to get, dead or alive?

He's still living, somewhere, on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. But don't worry. America is much safer after five years of the various Bush efforts.

I heard it on TV.