Friends, please read this and then this.
I wonder what the world would be like today, had the official and popular response to the 9/11 attacks been different. What if the follow-up had been a principled look at the real roots of terrorism, and the action taken had been in the spirit of Greg Mortenson's work, for example?
Yeah, I know that Osama bin Laden had/has an agenda, and I don't think it's a whole lot different than the NeoCon agenda. Its success is dependent on a large pool of people, mostly young, who don't have much hope or opportunity for education or a comfortable future. Young people, like this would-be suicide bomber, like the U.S. troops in Iraq, are the pawns in this "destabilization=huge profits for a small minority" game.
Shortly after 9/11 it was dismaying to see the number of thoughtful, educated, normally liberal-minded people who supported military action in Afghanistan. As if war ever solved anything. Ever. Ever. As if one couldn't see what the future was going to hold for that invasion. I remember one columnist -- Ted Rall -- wrote something like, "We can't just turn the other cheek!"
Well, why not? What has 5+ years of this madness accomplished? How could any thoughtful person have believed that putting your trust in BushCo, the Pentagon and the CIA was a good idea?
I also remember hearing on the radio a father whose daughter was killed in the 9/11 attacks. He said something to the effect of that the U.S. should use our military to fly over Afghanistan and drop ... food, medical supplies, educational supplies. No bombs.
What would the world be like today?
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8 comments:
Sometimes I admit to thinking 9/11 was orchestrated. This was no surprise. OBL had been using planes as cruise missiles for twenty years.
I like the idea of dropping medical supplies, etc., over Afghanistan instead of the Jawbreaker team to plan on how to obliterate them.
I'm sick of imperialism and colonialism.. and that's all this is about.
Peace,
~Chani
As Fiske writes in his book, he was one of the few if only journalists after 9/11 to ask WHY? What were the roots of the attack on the WTC? He got thousands of hate emails and letters for daring to question, daring to point out that this was, truly, blowback. There were reason's 9/11 happened. Sound bites on CNN don't help people understand this. As your post suggests, what would the world be like if the post-9/11 response had been different?
Luminiferous,
I have asked the same question. Followers of Thich Nhat Hahn asked him to publish a reaction just after the absolutely devasting trajic bloody surreal terror of September 11, 2001. "What should we do?," they asked.
He said that if he could meet Osama Bin Laden, he would listen deeply. He would ask what Bin Laden wants. He said that he would probably be overcome by the hatred in Bin Laden's reaction, so he would ask someone else to listen after 15 minutes...and then another.
I have used this reaction with with angry customers, with angry students and with family members. I always learn a thing or two. It is very very difficult, and it sticks me way out of my comfort zone, but it quells at least the first searing flames of hatred and intolerance.
Recently, you have caused me to look into Kucinich's Department of Peace. It is imperative.
It's discouraging. We -- collectively -- don't want to think of US as bad guys. We're not educated about U.S. imperialism, we're really not educated about colonialism and it is a shock that OUR country, strong and brave, could be doing anything bad in the world.
I agree with you on this completely.
BTW, have just started reading "Three Cups of Tea."
We're not educated about U.S. imperialism
Yes, but when we discuss it we are accused of being the "Hate America First-ers".
This is trope that I will never understand. It's like saying that because I have certain expectations of decency, maturity, honesty and goodness for my children I hate them.
It was nice to see you question Afghanistan. I believe the vast majority of Americans believe Afghanistan war: good, Iraq war: bad. Do you remember that kid that was on Bill O'Reilly's show? Jeremy Glick? Though his father died in the attacks he was thoroughly castigated by that loser O'Reilly for bravely opposing the war in Afghanistan.
Thanks for this post. I will chew on it for the day. BTW, I have a book called "Overthrow" about the history of American Imperialism from the theft of Hawaii to modern times. I'll try to finish it up and should we ever get together I can lend it to you.
Jess ... Hawaii, THERE'S a story. Hawaii "became" a state on the day I was born. I always thought that was cool, until in recent years when I've learned more how it came about.
I'd love to get together.
I'd love to read the book.
Do you need a babysitter? I've got an 11 year old!
Pam, I really hope you like Three Cups of Tea. Let me know, OK?
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