He would have been a big star, he just came around at a terrible time with his particular gimmick. Had 9/11 not happened, it wouldn't have been such a big deal, but having that happen and then pushing a guy with that gimmick....yeah.
Personally, I had no problem with that gimmick at all (and it isn't 'well, you're Canadian' because I'm not, I live in Canada right now, but from the wonderful state of NY) because I know it is just that: a gimmick. In fact, Mark Copani was born in New York.....
It isn't as if this was the first time someone in the WWF/WWE (or any wrestling promotion, for that matter) has used a gimmick that went against America. Hell, even Sgt. Slaughter had turned against America during the war. The thing is, some of us realize that this is just part of the storylines. The people acting this out aren't actually jumping for joy that a war is going on or that a bunch of people died in a terrorist attack. It is just something they use to get the heat required for that character. It is no different than the movies or TV shows that tackle these same situations.
People love to talk shit about how wrestling is fake and one big soap opera but they get their assholes in a knot when the story goes a way they don't want it to go. If you are going to diss wrestling for 'not being real', you should know that these situations are just storylines (also NOT REAL).