"Beyond the two big wars, an American preoccupation with terrorism has distorted policies and priorities in countless other ways, involving both foreign and domestic matters, ranging from limitations on visas for foreign visitors to powers exercised by police. Most measures have been well-intentioned efforts to make Americans safer from terrorism, but the dominance of emotion over careful thinking about effectiveness has meant wasted or misused resources. It also has meant straying from important values, most notably in the resort to torture.
Other countries have not exhibited as much of this misdirection as the US, but America's weight has meant that other western states have been dragged off course to varying degrees as well. Besides participation in the wars, bilateral relations between the US and many other states have been distorted by American preoccupations related to the reaction to 9/11. The notion of a global "war on terror" also has provided cover for other states to deal harshly with neighbors or minorities they don't like, whether in China dealing with Uighurs, Russia with Chechens or Israel with Palestinians"....................LINK
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