When I first came to New York about a year after the 11 September attacks, I had a dream about Osama Bin Laden. The al-Qaeda leader was sitting two seats over from me on the plane. His face was oddly wrapped up in his turban so at first I did not notice, but the man sitting between us, gently poked me and whispered: “I think that guy is Osama Bin Laden.” I saw that it was, and I was horrified.