"You know, today is a very sad day for us," the Israeli soldier at the Qalandia checkpoint told me.

"It's a sad day for everyone, for the whole world," I added.

"No, not for everyone," he said emphatically. "For Israel and the US."

"And for Palestinians, Afghans and Iraqis," I said, qualifying his statement.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he told me, "You know, I was there in Ramallah a year ago, and I was crying. But them," he pointed to Palestinians waiting to cross through the checkpoint, "they were, like, in the streets, throwing candy. They cheered, 'Americans have been killed!'"

"But we should try and understand why they responded that way, right?" I asked.

"How can you understand that? They're different. I mean, they don't even have democracy like you and I," the soldier argued.

"Yes, the world needs more democracy," I suggested.

But the soldier concluded, "We have democracy, but they don't. First democracy, then peace."

With my passport back in my hand, I walked towards Ramallah.

I'd like to say that when I woke up I wasn't aware of the date, but it seems as if it is impossible for anyone in the world to not know when it's September 11th.

After a short meeting in the morning, I spent some of the afternoon watching BBC's coverage of the events in New York, Washington, DC, and all around the world.

It became clear to me that the BBC was a willing partner in the campaign to remind the world that when the US is made to suffer, its suffering must be recognized, prioritized, maximized, and projected around the world, for all to see.

It's really the most awesome display of racism I've ever seen.

Really, do the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki receive one-tenth the coverage? Or what about the 20,000 civilian victims of Israel's invasion of Lebanon? Are they mourned like victims of 9/11 are mourned? A million-plus Iraqis killed by economic strangulation since the Gulf War? -- does CNN, BBC or the Western press mourn for them? Or the thousands of innocent Afghans killed so that we could install a former oil-man in the presidency? What ceremonies around the world will remember them?

Perhaps the most disturbing part about the list I just gave -- besides the fact that it could be extended a hundred-fold -- is that the US has played a role in all of them, either as the perpetrator or the facilitator.

And what's more, understanding this history, coupled with our current approach to foreign affairs, explains why the US was made to suffer on September 11, 2001.