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| Despite the multi-billions spent on national security every year, a few fanatics with pocket knives penetrated airport security and successfully attacked two gigantic symbols of America's involvement in the world causing multi-billions in damage, lost productivity, confusion, and immeasurable human tragedy. Now we know, America is not immune to the kinds of terrorist attacks and acts of aggression that have plagued the world for three decades. One eye-witness said, "Somebody needs to take response-ability for this." My response is this. Yes, we must all take responsibility. We the people and the leaders of our country must take responsibility, as well as those who perpetrated the destruction of life and property. But now the violence and war has come home from abroad, and is partly the consequence of our role as a superpower and the world's policeman, and partly due to our own terrorist and imperialistic actions in many countries of the world in which we had no business intervening. Our foreign policies and acts of aggression have fueled the hatred towards the United States for generations. We are all response-able for what just happened. American is not a victim. We are not innocent. America has made terrible mistakes since World War II and been involved in places we should have never been. To admit these mistakes and shift our foreign and military policy, is to mature into a superpower worthy of the leadership expected of us. We should have seen it coming, and certainly had the resources to do so. Why were we so lazy about it? Was it purely financial short-sightedness, or was the laxity intentional? Given the recent history of terrorist attacks against numerous other countries, including our own embassies and the USS Cole, it was only a matter of time before terrorism came home to roost. This time we witnessed it in our own backyard on our own soil. Our violence has been mostly waged against each other as citizens, not from the attack of a foreign invader, except when hidden from view and behind the scenes. But this attack was bold-faced and consequential. The repercussions will change not only the character of America, but our foreign and military policy, and hopefully will improve what can be done to get at the root of terrorism, not to simply retaliate and escalate the violence in our own backyard. Desperation for National Security Our desperation for a sense of security sent America far beyond it's borders to secure nation after nation with U.S. and U.N. participation. Many of these actions, even aggressions against foreign governments were done under the rationalization of "national security."So now, we see how fragile our own "national security" really is, and how impotent the "national security" state is to protect it's citizens from the onslaught of an unpredictable terrorist attack. You cannot attack evil with evil and expect to make any progress as a civilization. You cannot simply retaliate for each attack with another attack and break the chain of war and violence. Neither are sound foreign or military policies. The roots of terrorism must be addressed, and these are political and economic. Other Terrorist States Israel is a terrorist state, no different than any Arab nation defending their own homelands. How will we define a terrorist state? Anybody who doesn't agree with the New World Order agenda? Is this the precipitating event that will divide the world once again into us and them? The U.S. has sided with Israel for generations, protecting their aggressions for both political and financial reasons. With the recent events in Israel and Palestine, with terrorism escalating in that fragile region, these events only further the polarization which in the end escalates terrorism into a worldwide polarization. President Bush vows to punish terrorists and their accomplices, if we could only determine who the enemy really is. And who would be considered an accomplice? How widely will we define an accomplice or a terrorist, anybody who disagrees with the politics of the United States, both domestic and abroad? There is danger in our quickness to vengeance, that we might attack innocent people. Suspects The complexity, scale and suicidal audacity of the terrorist attacks on high-profile targets, are hallmarks of independent Middle East terrorist groups, and also point to the active participation of a rogue state. The use of at least four hijacked aircraft, the ability to penetrate airport security, the self-sacrifice of the attackers and the significance of the targets, symbols of American economic and military power, strongly suggest deep-pockets, top-flight organizational skills and religious fanaticism. This was a master terrorist attack, not just the ravings of domestic extremist left or right groups. Osama bin Laden is the prime suspect behind the attacks, who is allegedly protected by the Afghan government. He has over 4,000 operatives in sixty countries. The Afghan government and officials of the Taliban, deny allegations they are protecting bin Laden, and that he has the capability of pulling off such an operation. [Photo] Yasser Arafat was horrified by the attacks even as some of his supporters were celebrating in the streets. Iraq and Iran, longtime hosts of the Islamic Jihad have been deafly silent. President Bush was quoted as saying, "We will make no distinction between the terrorists who committed these acts and those who harbor them." Afghanistan could very well be the next Iraq, annihilated by a retaliatory attack by the U.S. military. Bush also authorized Dick Cheney to put the U.S. military on high alert worldwide. Other Terrorist Attacks Oct. 12, 2000 - Suicide bombing attack on USS Cole Outcome: U.S. investigation continues. Yemen has arrested eight people in attack. Aug. 7, 1998 - Bombings at U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania Outcome: Four men, Tanzanian, Saudi Arabian, Lebanese American and Jordanian sentenced to U.S. prison. Allegedly orchestrated by fugitive Saudi financier Osama bin Laden. Six defendants await trial. Thirteen still at large including bin Laden. April 19, 1995 - Bombing of federal building in Oklahoma City Outcome: Timothy McVeigh executed. Conspirator Terry Nichols serving life sentence. Questions: Conflicting evidence destroyed by prosecutors. Military bombs destroyed the building, not the Ryder truck with ammonia. There are others still at large responsible for this bombing. Feb. 26, 1993 - Bombing at World Trade Center Outcome: Six men, all Islamic extremists loyal to Eqyptian Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman convicted in New York. Ten others convicted of involvement in wider bomb plot targeting other New York buildings. Questions: Did those convicted actually perpetrate the crime, or were they the patsies? Was the FBI aware of the plan before the fact, and let it happen anyway? Dec. 21, 1988 - Bombing of Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie, Scotland Outcome: Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi of Libya convicted and sentenced to life in prison. April 5, 1986 - Bombing of Berlin nightclub that killed two U.S. servicemen and wounded 230. Outcome: U.S. warplanes attack targets in Libya, including a residence of Moammer Gadhafi, blamed for bombing. 15 years later, three Germans, Palestinian and Libyan now on trial. Oct. 7, 1985 - Hijacking of Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro Outcome: U.S. warplanes forced airliner carrying hijackers to land in Sicily. Four Palestinians and four planner convicted including terrorist mastermind Mohammed Abbas. Oct. 23, 1983 - Suicide bombing at U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon Outcome: U.S. warships bombarded known terrorist hideouts in Beirut, but U.S. forces eventually withdrew after additional suicide bombings. Nov. 4, 1979 - Seizure of U.S. Embassy in Iran Outcome: U.S. military attempt to rescue 52 hostages aborted due to broken equipment and poor execution of rescue mission. Hostages released nine months later. Institute for Communications Resources http://www.ICResource.com (800) 299-4497 |
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