This editorial from The Guardian says exactly the words I've been fumbling for, exactly the words I'd have said if only I had a stronger grasp of international politics:

They can't see why they are hated

Frankly, I'm terrified listening to every American leader from George Bush down to Rudy Giuliani jabbering about how we're hated in America simply because we're a bastian of democracy. Bullshit. We have been bringing this on ourselves, and we've been arrogant enough all these post—Cold War years to think we were mighty enough that no one could possibly fuck with us, that our actions around the globe could never possibly redound to our own harm.

Well, five thousand people in New York City are dead because of those policies. The question is, what power does the average American have to try to change what our government is doing overseas. I frankly have no idea where to start, and I consider myself reasonably well-informed—probably hyper-informed for an American.

But we'd better damn well do something, because we're about to pursue a war that will only make the next attack on America that much more deadly.

The fact is, the American government doesn't play nice with third-world countries. We stomp around the playground like a bully, kicking sand in everyone else's faces, and we call it protecting our own interests. Do the terrorist networks need to face justice? Hell, yes. But let's find them and haul them off to the principal's office for punishment, and let's leave everyone else alone. For fuck's sake, let's not blow up the damn sandbox.