From the Corner

Complete post for those who don't read NRO (shame on you):

MAKING SENSE OF 9/11 [Michael Graham]

One of the questions pragmatic observers have asked since the Al Qaeda attacks on Washington and New York is "What were they thinking?" What could the terrorists possibly hope to accomplish? Didn't they know America would strike back, and strike back hard? Al Qaeda lost far more than they gained. What did they think we would do?

Now we know. The Islamo-fascist terrorists thought that America would do in 2001 what the Spanish did Sunday: Surrender. They thought we would say (as a handful of Americans on the left did at the time) "just let them have what they want. Let's abandon Israel and leave Saudi Arabia. It's not worth it."

We did not retreat. We fought. The Islamists misjudged us. They thought we were Europeans.

When they withdraw their brave soldiers from Iraq, will it be fair to call the Spanish voters "cowards?" Should they be blamed if other Western nations are attacked in coming months because the Madrid bombing is perceived as a success for the terrorists?

Does it matter, if that's what the Islamo-fascists think?