It seems that even a shock of magnitude of September 11 was not sufficient to free most Americans of such illusions.

Indeed, the pageantry of 9/11 memorial ceremonies has become the ultimate form of RetCon: What better way to forget the consequences of US policy and institutionalized racism and xenophobia, not to mention the aftermath of reactionary (derivative?) war mogering than a play on the sentiments of invasion and grievious loss?

To categorize our politically-motivated incursions in the Muslim world as misadventures is to put it very mildly.