Joseph Nye observes: ''A key lesson of 9/11 is that hard military power is essential in countering terrorism by the likes of bin Laden, but that the soft power of ideas and legitimacy is essential for winning the hearts and minds of the mainstream Muslim populations from whom al-Qaeda would like to recruit - a 'smart power' strategy does not ignore the tools of soft power.''

9/11 was a fire that shaped a generation. It's true that Americans of all ages felt shock, fear, and uncertainty....Not all of them learned Arabic. Not all of them joined the military. Their lives may have been affected by Facebook and new social networks as much as by the visage of Osama bin Laden.

Al Qaeda’s attack on the United States ten years ago was a profound shock to both American and international public opinion... Anyone who flies or tries to visit a Washington office building gets a reminder of how American security was changed by 9/11

By grabbing our attention with mass, incomprehensible murders, terrorists do much more than just try to silence these voices for a moment. They also hack away at the level of trust needed for reasoned discourse. The attacks make it easier for fearful people to believe extremists speak for whole societies and, that in turn, only advances the terrorists' own cause.

Major events in the Middle East –including tensions between the U.S. and Israel, growing political unrest in many Arab countries, and the death of Osama bin Laden – have had little effect on public attitudes toward the region.

Perhaps the time has come for a frank Indo-Pak dialogue on Afghanistan. Situated by and large within a liberal democratic framework, South Asia can play a part in redeeming world Islam by its example, through imaginative Indian diplomacy and use of its considerable soft power.

The successful killing by the U.S. military of al-Qaida head Osama bin Laden makes the case for a transition from a 20th century model of defense to a new version, characterized by advocates as “soft” or “smart” power.

The global reaction to the death of Osama bin Laden, while not 100 percent positive, has been one of great international relief. The President should take advantage of this opportunity by reasserting U.S. leadership on the world stage rather than bowing to sentiments about American decline.