The Lessons of 9-11
George Bush often throws out the phrase "the lessons of 9-11" in one form or another, and while I was reading some clips from the President's talk yesterday, the question finally occurred to me, what were the lessons of 9-11?
The main lesson I've taken, looking back now with a little scope and perspective, is that US foreign policy has consequences. (Another reason Iraq was a bad idea, by the way.)
I won't do the full detail here, but, as most of you probably know, Al Qaeda was a CIA creation intended to cripple the Soviets in Afghanistan, and the same motivating philosphical base on which Al Qaeda was built by the US, get the foreigners out of the region so that "true Islam could be restored," is now the same philosphical message through which Al Qaeda is finding its broadening support in its atatcks on the US and the West.
George Bush's "lesson of 9-11," on the other hand, is a very simplistic lesson in fear, at least that's the one he wants Americans to take to heart. George Bush's "lesson of 9-11" is that we need a more aggressive, active, and violent foreign policy. Also, he wants America to learn that only through war can Americans hope to be safe. War is Peace.
(Again, like Iraq, this fails to recognize the realities of dealing with an insurgency, whether it is the clearly defined and geographically bound like current one in Iraq, or a larger more amorphous movement like Al Qaeda which might be argued to be a broader worldwide "insurgency" against American hegemony. There are certainly some differences, but I think the comparison can be loosely applied. I would be more than willing to take up a broader discussion of this if anyone shows interest.)
I feel obliged to point out that this "lesson" bears a remarkable similarity to the politics of Israel, where increasing levels of action by the Israelis brought increasing levels of resistance from the Palestinians eventually giving the terrorist organization Hamas control of the Palestinian government. And from the rise in anti-American Islamist influence around the globe, Saudi, Egypt, Pakistan, etc., I would argue that George Bush's implementation of his "lesson" is having the same effect.
Just kind of rambling this morning, but the question is hanging with me. What were your "lessons of 9-11?"
The main lesson I've taken, looking back now with a little scope and perspective, is that US foreign policy has consequences. (Another reason Iraq was a bad idea, by the way.)
I won't do the full detail here, but, as most of you probably know, Al Qaeda was a CIA creation intended to cripple the Soviets in Afghanistan, and the same motivating philosphical base on which Al Qaeda was built by the US, get the foreigners out of the region so that "true Islam could be restored," is now the same philosphical message through which Al Qaeda is finding its broadening support in its atatcks on the US and the West.
George Bush's "lesson of 9-11," on the other hand, is a very simplistic lesson in fear, at least that's the one he wants Americans to take to heart. George Bush's "lesson of 9-11" is that we need a more aggressive, active, and violent foreign policy. Also, he wants America to learn that only through war can Americans hope to be safe. War is Peace.
(Again, like Iraq, this fails to recognize the realities of dealing with an insurgency, whether it is the clearly defined and geographically bound like current one in Iraq, or a larger more amorphous movement like Al Qaeda which might be argued to be a broader worldwide "insurgency" against American hegemony. There are certainly some differences, but I think the comparison can be loosely applied. I would be more than willing to take up a broader discussion of this if anyone shows interest.)
I feel obliged to point out that this "lesson" bears a remarkable similarity to the politics of Israel, where increasing levels of action by the Israelis brought increasing levels of resistance from the Palestinians eventually giving the terrorist organization Hamas control of the Palestinian government. And from the rise in anti-American Islamist influence around the globe, Saudi, Egypt, Pakistan, etc., I would argue that George Bush's implementation of his "lesson" is having the same effect.
Just kind of rambling this morning, but the question is hanging with me. What were your "lessons of 9-11?"
posted by mikevotes at
8:57 AM
6 Comments:
Interesting. I generally agree with the lesson, but I'm not exactly sure how you got there directly from 9-11. Is it the base understanding that "people are expendable" to those in power?
Again, I agree with you, but I don't clearly see the linkage unless you are arguing 9-11 was known about by the US gov't. From what I know, I'm willing to entertain that idea for a discussion. There's enough circumstantial evidence to merit that discussion. I still want to know who did the insider traduing on the airline stocks, for instance.
Also, let me throw out a preemptive defense. Reading down this again, I realized that I did not make clear enough specifics about wht I think should have been done.
I do believe that the invasion of Afghanistan was a proper and neccesary response to 9-11. That should have been the primary focus of the war on terror. The US should've gone in with far more troops and a larger footprint to stop the "safehaven" and the terror camps, but also to round up Bin Laden.
How effective would that message have been? If you attack the US no matter where you're hiding or how many men you have around you. We will capture you, bring you in, try you and punish you.
By
mikevotes, at 10:14 AM
I am totally baffeled as to why the war in Iraq is teaching me a lesson about 9-11
By
Unknown, at 10:25 AM
I leaned that in defending my American values, I have more to fear from the enemy within, than the enemy without.
By
-epm, at 1:30 PM
What have I learned from 9/1, or what have I learned since 9/11? I think that if we went to Iraq to fight them there as opposed to here, we should have stayed in Afghanistan and fought them there (I know, we're still there). But I think the war on terror is a lot like the war against communism, we're fighting an idea, and no matter how many bombs we drop or people we torture or speeches Bush makes labeling them we're not going to change that idea.
By
Lew Scannon, at 6:02 PM
Lew, that's kinda what I was trying to say by comparing it to insurgency, but I didn't say it as clearly.
EPM, that's been the classic problem with freedoms. Whether it was Roman civility, the Magna Carta, or the present. Those who want power will always attempt to grab it when the country is at its weakest. It tells you what kind of people we have in power.
Splendora, You're right, Iraq has nothing to do with terrorism. That's why Bush is trying to teach the lesson that it does.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 6:10 PM
The lessons of 9/11?
1. If you're the president, you should read your intelligence memos instead of playing golf.
2. If you're a citizen, stop voting for incompetent nincompoops.
By
QuakerDave, at 5:34 AM
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