By Richard C. Hottelet / September 13, 2001
WILTON, CONN.
The horror of Tuesday morning holds three immediate lessons for the United States:
The first is acknowledged in the parallel many people draw with Pearl Harbor. In 1941, this country wanted to sit out the storm of World War II in official neutrality. The Japanese attack on Dec. 7 showed that it could not. "America First" isolationism vanished overnight. Washington led a mighty alliance to win the war.
In recent years, for different reasons, a sense of American exceptionalism revived. A certain triumphalism, stemming from economic and military strength, saw the United States as the only remaining superpower. The 800-pound gorilla, thumping its chest, impatient with cautious or befuddled friends, demanded respect. Little effort was made to seek consensus. Instead, the US went its own way in such existential matters as environment, energy, and defense, simply opting out of joint efforts when it chose.
