Roger Pulvers' Sept. 9 Counterpoint article, "Americans share blame for Bush's 9/11 'devil,' " belongs on the editorial page. The article simply demonstrates again that conspiracy theories are the last refuge of small minds closed to any facts that might persuade them to greater nuance.

The writer should expand his study of history beyond that of Russia. I would recommend he start with Samuel Huntington's excellent "Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order." U.S. President George W. Bush and his "fundamentalist ilk" are not sending out suicide bombers against innocent people to get their message out.

The debate should be about what reduction in our civil liberties is acceptable in order to combat radical Islam -- not whether it is really a threat. That debate is over.