Anthrax at the US Embassy, 21st Century Politics

Last night was like any other Thursday evening: dinner with the family, later a co-teacher of mine and I going to play billiards with my host brother and, as we ate dinner, the news was on. Typically I just tune it out because all of the news broadcasts are in Tagalog/Filipino and not in Visaya (my dialect) but, as I was putting a fried ball of meat into my mouth, I heard "blah blah blah anthrax blah blah US Embassy blah blah blah." Well, it might not be anthrax but there was a letter sent to the US embassy with white powder contents, supposedly from Houston, TX. I texted the Peace Corps security officer in Manila to ask if there was anything we should be concerned about. Within 30seconds he called me back and said he was watching the same story, waiting to hear back from the embassy. He said that this sort of thing was already happening in Europe and is now coming to Asia. Something like 76 U.S. embassies have been targeted globally since Dec. 31st, 2008. He said that we will be kept informed of pertinent information, which is to say we won't get little detailed updates.
When I first heard, I was concerned, but I wasn't afraid for my life or anything. The concerning thing that I simply could not communicate to my host family was that this act of terrorism was aimed at a nationality, not at specific people. I am an American. Obviously whoever sent that envelope wanted its American recipients to fear for their lives. Again, didn't matter who received the white powder, just as long as they were American.
Again, I just want to reiterate that the Peace Corps security officers are excellent and we, as volunteers, are not anywhere near harm's way.
But man, this got me thinking. Why did it feel like I received a blow to the stomach? This is 21st Century international politics, I'm just living it now, on the outside of the emerald city. I don't think I've ever been to a country where this was ever a concern. Blame cannot be place on anyone world leader. I don't know what has got us here, it certainly wasn't my generation, but it makes the Peace Corps and the volunteers that much more important. We are cleaning up the U.S. image abroad, one village, town and city at a time in over 130 countries with over 8,000 volunteers. This isn't just going abroad and teaching English, this is imperative diplomatic work at the same time. I'm not trying to toot my own horn, but this is the reality of grassroots diplomacy. Obama supports doubling the size of the Peace Corps during his presidency...heck yeah. I have no idea how to finish this.