The Surprise Attack, with planes
Pearl Harbor vs. 9/11
Not much has changed in the last 60 years. We knew that the Japanese/Middle East didn't like us. But we never really expected to be attacked. The surprise attack on Pearl harbor killed 2,471. The surprise attack on 9/11 killed 2,786. Both attacks used planes as a weapon. Both attacks were surprises. Both attacks were under the commands of presidents who were related to previous presidents (Bush and Bush, Roosevelt and Roosevelt).
The Common Racial "Enemy", Paranoia
In World War 2 it was the Japanese. Today it is the Muslim community. Immediately after both attacks, Japanese/Muslims temporarily lost their basic civic rights as humans based on racial profiling. While I can see the logic in making detainment camps for people who "fit the profile", we didn't see hoards of middle-aged white Christians being rounded up after Timothy McVeigh's Oklahoma City Bombing, did we?
Both races were painted as 'suspicious'. Both cultures have extremely foreign languages. Both cultures have traits that seem "suspicious" to us. The Japanese and their "suspicious" looking eyes. The Muslims...always talking "suspiciously" close to each other, like their telling secrets. In actuality, this is a cultural norm in their world.
Glorious Death in Battle
Suicide Bombers vs. the Kamikaze. Both the Muslim and Japanese prided in suicide attacks. Doing so would result in great honor and respect for their afterlife and legacy.
The Full-blown retaliation
The destruction of Japan. The dismantling of their army. The insertion of a US approved political leader. The destruction of Iraq...even though 0 of the 19 hijackers of the 9/11 flights were from Iraq. Go figure. The dismantling of their army. The insertion of a US approved political leader.
Fast Forward 60 years later...
Sixty years from now, if Japan is a good enough example, Iraq will begin making and importing superior cars to America. McDonalds, Taco Bells, Walmarts, and Casinos pop up everywhere. Iraq will become a first world country and rival our computer technology. Nerds will watch Arabamation instead of Japanamation.
I guess the only real difference 60 years from now is that the old war vets that gather in the mall food court early in the morning will make racial slurs about Muslims instead of the Japanese.