by Vic Ryan Agot

Created on: September 13, 2009   Last Updated: September 17, 2009

Though years have passed since that fateful day in September when all eyes of the world looked at America, seeing one of its icons of greatness crumble down into pieces. Yes, 8 years has passed and to my knowledge there hasn't been any major act of terrorism since and God willing, I hope never again. But the question now on whether America, after 9/11, has become a safer place to live in or has it just been lucky, made me realize the tremendous price it paid to not let it ever happening again. My personal take on it is, America is still not safe.

America may have gone as far as the middle east, weeding the arid desserts and scouting the rugged terrains with the hope of bringing those who deliberately orchestrated the 9/11 bombings to justice, including those individuals who financed them. It is remarkable to see how advance America's technology of war has become.

Bombs hit Taliban caves and bunkers with pinpoint accuracy. Helicopters and airplanes swarm the airspace of Baghdad taking control of the skies. Marines get deployed and all geared up for combat in no time; scouring every street and every home for suspected insurgents.

And my personal favorite, the unmanned drones that act like Big Brother looking out for suspicious activities and could initiate an attack if need be while being controlled remotely by someone who is just going through his ordinary shift somewhere in Nevada.

A big chunk of the nation's budget is allotted to finance America's armament and armada just to keep loved ones at home secure and sleeping sound at night.

However, terrorism breeds from rage and hate, the bombings and the killings are just the expression of it. Everyday we hear about American and innocent casualties in Iraq. Yes, the military is able to hunt down terrorist, but at what cost? Guiltless people especially children join the collateral fatality statistics in every bombing raid everyday.

America is projecting itself an image exactly the same as the terrorists, it is in any way no different from what was shown in 9/11. Hanging Saddam and capturing Bin Laden is not the end of the vicious cycle. Because of violence being put out by another form of violence, the very same people who are supposed to sympathize with America harbor the same aggression, and will one day pick up where the perpetrators left off.

Yes, Americans have become more vigilant and homeland security has gone tighter than ever but the same rage and hate still get passed on. And though it may have seemed calm for almost a decade, for sure, the chain of terror has not yet been broken.

For as long as other countries continue to hate America for political and religious reasons and if America does not change its approach and continue with the means currently employed, the domino effect of terrorism will never stop and the world is never safe to live in, and so isn't America.

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