Letter to the Editor

Joseph J. Ellis's ethnocentric view doesn't take into account that 9/11 is part of a broader string of deadly events in the international arena; unlike the War of Independence and the Civil War, 9/11 is part of a string of bombings around the world ranging from Bali, Northern Africa and Central Asia to London and Madrid.

Sept. 11 does not signify a national threat; it is a globalized one. It was the crowning achievement of Al Qaeda not only against America but also against the free world. Sept. 11's place in American history will be surpassed only in its place in international history.

Authored by: Elise M. Stefanik, Washington, Jan. 29, 2006. The writer, a senior at Harvard, is an undergraduate fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.