9/11 – A day of reassessment for US

It has been 2 years since the tragedy of September 11, 2001. On September 13th, 2001 (just two days after the incident), I wrote an article, titled, ?It is Time for US to think WHY not WHO?. And now after two years, I am still on the view that Americans must work on WHY not WHO. In the last two years, has US found more opponents or sympathisers; more friends or enemies; more stability or insecurity; more superiority or inferiority? this is what to be valuated by the people of United States.

The Destruction of the World Trade Centre and the attack on Pentagon, on September 11, 2001, was the incomparable modern-age man-designed human calamity one could hardly imagine. More than 3 thousands innocent lives wiped-out just in few moments and the world was helplessly watching on their television sets around the world. In a matter of minutes, a series of almost perfectly choreographed events destroyed two of the tallest buildings in the world in one city and critically damaged one of the most impenetrable structures of the world. New York’s World Trade Center crumbled — the target was a symbol of US wealth; in Washington, DC, the Pentagon, the military nerve center of the US was directly hit. That much could hardly be seen even in any Hollywood movie.

The 9/11 incident does not, only, reflect the level of hatred and revenge any individual or in a group can keep or the obsession one can aspire – it outputs to the dealing of US with those nations who hold the maximum natural resources of this earth in their territories and among them fatefully or un-fatefully majority are the Muslim states.

Perhaps this is not the time to criticize a country that is observing the mourning of the 2nd anniversary of the horrified deaths of her thousands of innocent civilians. However, sometime one has to swallow the bitter truth and face the realities of the time when analysing and documenting the facts.

How many times has the US has been the target of terrorism in the past 30 years alone? The US has been experiencing terrorism for decades. US airlines have been hijacked many times; US army personnel have been killed in bombings and US embassies around the world have been hit more than once; US citizens have been taken hostage for months at a time. Within the US, a federal building was exploded killing hundreds; the World Trade Centre had come under terrorist attack about 10 years ago as well.

How much US foreign policy-makers had been expected more to see prior to the 9/11 attacks before they could realise to review and reassess their policies to avoid any big bang like what happened on September 11, 2001? The other countries in the world learnt from such incidents, threats, and incidents yet US hasn’t, Why?

Just after the attack on WTC and Pentagon, on 9/11/2001, every single country including Muslim countries demonstrated their full support and sympathy with the US. Not a single country appreciated the brutal action of the suicide attackers. Majority of Muslim countries practically shared the US-led war in Afghanistan declared as ?War against terrorism?. Therefore, the post September 11, 2001 was an opportunity for Bush administration to extend its alliance particularly with Muslim world by pulling the world together at the same time inducing confidence in the American public. Conversely, the arrogant and unilateral attitude of Bush administration since 9/11/2001 developed more hatred among millions around the world. President Bush presided over a rift with Europe, ignited a chronically inept Middle East policy, strengthen the messily attacks using the most dangerous bombs in Afghanistan and exhibited the extreme example of US unilateralism by attacking Iraq ignoring the refusal of the key players in United Nations Security Council and the judgement of the majority of the world through historic peace rallies against the US war on Iraq almost in every country of the world. The present situation in Iraq is already substantiating the unfair decision of Bush administration as it is costing US millions of dollars every day but the lives of US soldiers, being killed every single day in Iraq. Consequently, today, when Bush administration is begging other countries for sending their army to control the anti-American mobs, not a single country seems willing to help US.

In fact, the continuos blunders on strategic & policy issues of Bush administration – presumably, aiming to rule the world by power ? has not only damaged the US reputation badly but created more enemies than friends of US since the 9/11/2001. The ongoing inflexible and offensive policies of Bush administration brought the series alliance management problem for Bush to keep Europe or NATO remains in coalition in the war on terrorism. This was probably the first time when US received so huge anti-ism on the streets of Europe particularly in Germany and France against US unjustified attack on Iraq.

It is very vital and in the interest of the people of the United States that policy makers in the White House should accept the need of the time, the demands of the changing world, the fairness, the equality, the freedom and respect for every single nation. If US want to remain on top, it has to behave accordingly. You can not play games anymore using CIA or by utilising militarily power and assume that the world will remain hushed and unaware from the ground realities. You can not do one thing and show the other. How can one assume that you kill thousands of civilians in Afghanistan using the most dangerous weapons of the modern age, supposedly, just to hunt and kill Osama Bin Ladin and his Al-Quaida group and yet you even could not prove to the world whether Osama is alive or dead? Then you expect that the world should remain silent and will not strive to look for your real intentions to remain in Afghanistan? Similarly, how can one assume that the rest will follow US when US administration openly ignored United Nation and the voice of the majority, attacked on Iraq, destroyed the entire infrastructure of the country, supposedly, to hunt Saddam Hussain and yet no news on Saddam except the obliteration of everything else.

There’s no mistaking that terrorism is a threat, as it has always been. There is also no disputing that those responsible for such acts of terrorism in any shape or form must be held accountable. To be sure, prosecute those who are responsible, but do not turn the process as an advantage to cash out other vested interested in various parts of the world. Otherwise it will bounce back to the US again.

To end the threat of terrorism against US, the policy makers in White House must accept the true reason why they are so hated. Well it is a very serious test for the policy-makers at the White House now to choose which way they want to go. Whatever decision they take, they must think twice keeping in mind the consequences of their action. Modern technology makes mass murder and terrorism so ridiculously easy that just about anyone can do it. It cannot be stopped by military might.

US must consider before launching any future adventure against any country that the world has changed now. Even the act of terror has changed. Every thing impacts globally. When US talks about global economy and global peace and new world order she must also not forget that whatever action is taken would have a global impact too. The technological advancement which mostly is a gift of US to this world, made this world as a global village. Small piece of news, plan or action is disclosed to millions throughout the world just in few minutes through internet and mass communication.

9/11 is the day of remembrance, assessment and reassessment for Bush and his policy-makers to start a new epoch for peace, justice, fairness and equality. This is the time for US to create a threat-free environment for smaller countries. This is the time for US to provide confidence to every other nation without the prejudice of race, colour and religion.