The world didn't change it just hit the US on the nose. The argument that Iraq supported terrorist groups involved them supporting them prior to 9/11. Saddam Hussein represented the same threat to the US both pre-9/11 and post-9/11 probably less post 9/11 since that reversed the decrease of military expenditures brought about by the end of the Cold War. It also gave Bush an excuse to implement things such as the Patriot Act which even if you may disagree with it, it does do some good. Nor would there be a Department of Homeland Security or increased security in airports etc. etc. The only difference was Bush needed something to do so he could look strong instead of Clinton's policy of bombing Iraq every once in a while.
But one does wonder, were it not for 9/11 what would Bush have done with those 4 years? Would he have invaded Iraq? Wasted his time and killed the US economy? Not gotten re-elected in '04? I'm voting for the last two and possibly all three.
