Agreed. Lived it from a Nordic European perspective and we were similarly glued to our televisions.

But I do remember we were actually terrified of what the US will do to the world because of this. Will they start a world war over it. It wasn't at all about the spectacle of it alone, but mostly the fear of what Bush will do (everyone saw him as unhinged). I remember how we sighed from relief after he did the speeches after it and did not bring about nuclear winter.

This was pretty much the most common reaction in my family and friends. Also the whole way in which the world police finally got to feel a bit of what it does all over sure was mentioned, nobody was honestly surprised.

Sympathy for the civilians of course, but I can't claim there was any love for Murica the nation at the time or all the warmongering.