First, I hope the hostages make it out all right. But I'm already thinking about the consequences for the rest of us. I fear the splash damage. In the US, 9/11

First, I hope the hostages make it out all right. But I'm already thinking about the consequences for the rest of us. I fear the splash damage. In the US, 9/11 triggered a Homeland Security response that worked effectively like an autoimmune disease. Western democracy was more hurt by the response than by the terrorist attack itself. And the ideology of Tony Abbot's government is the perfect environment for such an overreaction.