Ooookay,





The middle east, has been, in one form or another, through terrorist attacks, overt warfare, covert warfare, and any other form of unpleasantness you care to list, been having a rather nasty spat with the US since the late 1960's/early 1970's (Depending on which action you choose as the start of the nastiness)

Most of the US population took little to no notice of the various and sundry nasty events in the 1960's, 70's, 80's, and 90's.

It took 9/11 (regardless of WHO was behind it) to wake up most of the US population to the fact that Hey! These guys don't like us very much!