Partly cloudy, with a chance of rain

Is the world safer today than it was on September 10, 2001? No, not at all. Everyday the world seems to get a little more dangerous, the skies a little darker. On September 10, the majority of US citizens were only vaguelly aware of the Al-Qaeda, Osama Bin Laden, and the plans in action to attack the western nations. Ignorance, however, does not make the threat disappear. In the wake of 9/11, their was a general increase in security in the Western nations, as well as a more publicly active stance to combat terrorists. What has come of this? The US and UN have spread their forces across the Middle East, bring violence to the terrorists, but also the innocent. Al-Qaeda has gained support because it has proven it can get results. To this day, Osama Bin Laden remains at large. Both Afgahnistan and Iraq have been plunged into chaos, with various sects vieing for power. The need for arms in Africa, the Middle East, and other struggling nations has increased, and that need is always met by various governments and gun runners. Norh Korea has had a successful test of a nuclear weapon, and Iran is working on its own nuclear program. In attempt to surpress terrorists groups and achieve victory in the Middle East, the US government has eliminated the rights of its own citizens. Now I am not only threatened by potential nuclear and biological attacks on the US by enemy nations and non-government groups, but now I cannot even hold my government accountable for its activities. Using fear as a tool, the US government has begun to remove all acountability of the government for its actions. Sadly, ever day seems to be a step backwards, away from hope and security.