Would some power the gift give us...

...to see ourselves as others see us.

From The News (Pakistan) for September 12:

Arabs across the Middle East mourned the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks carried out by 19 Arab men, but most blamed the US-led war on terror and Washington's support of Israel for spreading, not reducing, global militancy and instability.

Newspaper, Web site and street corner commentators repeated a similar theme Saturday - attacks by US-backed Israel against Palestinians and Iraqis equated to the same brand of terrorism that America, following the attacks on New York and Washington, launched its war to eradicate. "Sept. 11 was a tragic day in our history because so many innocent people were killed at the hands of militants, who find a fertile ground in our region in view of the biased US policies toward Israel and against Arab causes," said 34-year-old banker Mahmoud Obeid in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

"We don't hate the Americans as people, but we abhor the policies of their government, which blindly supports Israel against our just causes in Palestine and Iraq." Egyptian columnist Fahmy Howeidy said Arabs and Muslims must question their own actions, "Because these people who committed the Sept. 11 attacks and attacked the United States were Muslims and Arabs. We need to ask what is wrong with these people, why did they do this?"

But he told The Associated Press "the (main) problem is the Americans don't want to criticize themselves. They don't look at their policies and mistakes, like the US position toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. By defending the terrorism committed by Israel against the Palestinians, they are filling people with anger." On militant Islamic Web sites, contributors posted statements welcoming the attacks anniversary.

"Since three years ago we are still pleased and happy, and I thank God that he made us see such a day," said one online contributor who identified herself only as Umm Rafida. "Whenever I look to the picture of the tower while its collapsing, tears well in my eyes and I thank God."

As if to confirm Howeidy's remarks (and my own), the article also quoted

Capt. Rick Hewitt, 31, of La Crosse, Wisconsin, [who] said the attacks don't "really change our mission here one iota. We're trying to rebuild this country. We're trying to help Iraq discover itself."

The absolute, unquestioning acceptance of American virtue and decency. We're only trying to help! That's all we ever do! Why can't "they" see that? Why do "they" hate us? If must be because we're good, what other reason could there be?

On yet another point,

The Saudi English-language Arab News daily carried an editorial calling for a "united front" to combat terrorism and an end to the "blame game," which perpetuates "our own poisoned sense of victim hood, while alienating and confirming others in their own negative views."

In fact, invisibly to Americans, that debate is gaining strength in Arab and Muslim nations. There is a growing sense that the most militant have gone too far, that they are degrading Islam rather than glorifying it. Although 9/11 was, if you will, instrumental in generating this debate, it's hardly the only point or even the central issue, as attacks in Indonesia and elsewhere - including the possibility (although still just that) of some sort of al-Qaeda involvement in the brutality in Beslan - drive increasing concern.

It's interesting that at least at this point, the supposedly insular "Arab street" seems capable of considerably greater introspection than we are.