How the world has (and hasn't) changed

摘要

On September 11th, when millions around the world watched with astonishment and horror as two hijacked aircraft flew into the World Trade Centre and another into the Pentagon, the world suddenly seemed completely different. Such an event may not have been unimaginable-something like it had been included in umpteen academic and military think-pieces about future threats-but it was unexpected, and deeply shocking. It was a declaration of war by act if not in words, and a war has indeed ensued, with air strikes beginning in Afghanistan on October 7th and bioterrorism attacks being discovered in America at around the same time. To that extent, the first reaction was correct: the world has changed.