What you call 'silver linings' I saw as political opportunities. Silver linings isn't the right term; I don't think I used it. It suggests some redeeming feature of what was clearly without any.
I am less optimistic because I don't see those opportunities panning out. To some extent Bush has coopted them. We are not battling the pre-september conservative ideology now. Instead there is some kind of big-state/militarist/patriotic thingy. Now the Gov is into the crusading business. The U.S. can win wars without casualties, can go anywhere it can identify or fabricate a terrorist footprint, it can do nation-building, etc. In a way this culminates a trend that began with the fall of Newt.
This could lead to some kind of over-extension and crack-up, but for the time being the Empire business seems to be booming. In fact, I would say it definitely will, but not necessarily any time soon. Overextension and setback is the way the system realizes it has pushed too far. It's the successful pushing in the interim that does the harm.
The military side is definitely an expansion; that doesn't imply it started from zero. You have US military running with Uzbeks, Tajiks, Pakistani's, and who knows who else. Waltzing around in Yemen, noodling with incursions into Somalia. A serious debate among elites about whether to just stomp all over Iraq.
The sense of vulnerability is real, but it is a two-way street. It also makes for the 'bonding' of the public with dudes they would otherwise not cross the street to shake hands with, notably Ghouliani and Bush.
mbs
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CB: Max, have you given up on all those silverlinings out of Sept. 11 that you were listing a while back ?
By the way, the U.S. military expansionist role is way beyond being born. It is past middle age.
I think that the American people feel a lot more vulnerable following Sept. 11. It was a shocking breach of national defense as people have come to expect it. This creates a crisis for the U.S.. The first response by the U.S. is aimed at restoring a feeling of strength in the wake of a feeling of vulnerability unprecedented for the living generation of Americans. The quick victory in Afghanistan gives some feeling that the old American invincibility or strength is restored, but deep down does anybody really feel that ? Surely, Americans' travels outside he homeland are much more vulnerable, and that weakness is aggravated , not assuaged by the victory in Afghanistan.
The final impact of Sept. 11 on U.S. domestic and foreign strength and vulnerability, life and death concerns may not be measurable yet. Although the enormous military puffing right now certainly gives the right the initiative , it would be premature to say that the long term effect might not be a crisis and defeat for the U.S. empire.