On television sets across America President Bush is trying hard to sell today's generation on the idea that the horrific 911 attack is a current day version of Pearl Harbor, the turning point in history for our senior generation. But in comparing the two bold tragedies, the wisdoms of our father prevails and we find there are far mor differences than similarities. Further, this heated debate provide us an excellent opportunity to reflect upon the what really happened - and why. Few want to actually confront the ugly truth, much less admit it. It is far more comfortable and even convenient to become the proverbial ostrich who buries his head in a hole to avoid the painful realities of life. When it comes to 911, we have collectively become a nation in denial and here's why...
Over the last five years, "we the people" have been herded like sheep into a frenzy of revenge - to find, punish, and kill anyone and everyone we can remotely link to the 911 tragedy. Very few of us, including the media questioned the motives, explanations, or "evidence" presented by our leaders, because we were too focused on retribution. And while we were all distracted by the war mongering rhetoric about those invisible weapons of mass destruction, and fabricated "nuclear Iraqi threats" we were also diverted away from the most important issues and questions of all. Even to this day, not one American Senator or Congressman has had the courage to publicly ask "Why did this happen?" or "Why do people so far away hate America so much?" or more to the point... "What is the root cause of terrorism" The answers to these questions are quite ugly, But if you are a true American patriot, the truth, once confronted, is enlightening and provides a path to resolution of all the hatred and perhaps even peace in the world we must share with others.
First and foremost we should all look around and notice that countries like Argentina, Norway, Austria, Singapore, Mexico, The Netherlands, etc. do not have to spend billions of their tax dollars fighting terrorism or send their children, husbands, and fathers off to die in bloody wars chasing down terrorists and so now the question becomes "Why not? Frankly, these countries do not have a history of invading , occupying or secretly fomenting revolutions in other sovereign nations. Their foreign policies are not exploitive, nor provocative, and they do not get their way in the world by becoming the biggst bully on the block who gets his way at the end of a gun barrel or economic extortion (aka "trade sanctions).
Likewise, these nations who live without fear of terrorism do not openly deffy the United Nations, The World Court, or casually violate treaties whenever there is money to be made or lost (i.e. the Canadian softwood lumber case). Most importantly, in these terror-free countries, their governments do not attempt, much less force their "democracies" and cultures upon others as "a better way to live". Their leaders ceratinly don't go on international TV and threaten, denigrate, and inuslt the leaders of other sovereign nations as our President does on a regular basis as his father did as well. Instead, they respect all cultures and leaders and find a quiet diplomatic way to deal with their differences. Dialogue and diplomacy between the U.S. and our enemies have never been fully utilized since the 1960s. The American way has become the "or else" way recognized around the world.
But this arrogance alone is not what provoked 911 - it is just the underlying attitude of our current leaders that continues to fuel the flames of hatred and contempt that has even spread to some of our once greatest fans - the Europeans. We have let our "Superpower" status be misused and abused by a handful of greedy campaign funders and their bought and paid for politicians whose own children will never see a battlefield. Our elected leaders could be respected and honored statesmen of the world yet this administration prefers the gun slinging, John Wayne swaggering cowboy approach to everything. Machismo makes for great movies but not for world peace. Nobody likes provocations and ultimatums, yet that is what has emanated from the White house for the last six years friends.
But getting back to 911, one only has to recall their childhood days and learning about that little "Golden Rule" - you know : Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you". It seems too many of us left it behind in our childhood even though it is far more applicable in world politics than on the playground at both socio-economic, and commercial levels. Just think for a moment, would any red-blooded American stand idle and allow a foreign invader to depose our President by military force, reduce our cities and towns to smoldering ruins, take over Wall Street, Silicon Valley, and all of our oil wells and refineries too? Would we passively allow foreign soldiers to randomly break down our doors at 3:00am and traumatize our young children for life? And what if these foreign invaders killed over 30.000 civilians "by mistake" or tortured and humiliated those of us they imprisoned for resisting their imposition? What would we do? What would YOU do?
Let's take it one step further and ask yourself how you would feel, and what would you do if you came home from the office one day and found your home destroyed by a "smart bomb" and bits and pieces of your charred children and spouse scattered all about? The rage is compounded a hundred times by the fact these are innocent people, not soldiers, not politicians, but people just like you and I. Without hesitation I think if this happened in America, every one of us would arm ourselves to the teeth and fight to the death to expel the occupiers and seek revenge on those who killed our infants. We would be called "patriots" for our efforts, yet we let our government call the Iraqis "insurgents" for doing exactly what we ourselves would do. If someone killed my only child and wife, I too might strap on a bomb and hunt down the perpetrators. It matters not where these victims reside or what God they pray to, or what language they speak. Family is sacred in every culture around the globe and for almost fifty years, American foreign policy and military forces have destroyed more families than any hurricane, tsunami, disease, or forest fire. As an American who actually enlisted during the Vietnam War out of what I thought at the time was patriotism, it pains me to make this admission. But it is as true as the night is dark or the oceans are wet.
Can we own up to the fact that perhaps, just maybe, over the last few decades, our own government officials created, or at least planted the seeds of this Frankenstein monster we call terrorism? Just over 220 years ago American militiamen fighting for their independence from Britain were routinely identified as "insurgents" and even "terrorists". Perspective and perception often depend on whether you're the oppressor or oppressee when debating terrorism.
This brings me back to 911 and the Golden Rule thing. You can only beat a dog so long before it ultimately and inevitably lashes out and bites back in self-defense, and this is truly what may have happened on 911. Terrorism can never be condoned, but it's cause can be understood and perhaps eliminated much like extinguishing a fire by eliminating the heat, fuel, or oxygen needed for combustion. By Muslim standards and culture our western ways are provocative at best and immoral and repulsive at worse, yet we still let our government try to impose our will and ways upon them. This is a social crime, especially since one-third of the world's population is now Muslim. From their perspective, it is not difficult for America, a primarily Christian nation, to be seen as modern day crusaders bent on converting the world, especially since President Bush frequently uses the word "crusade" in his many speeches. Perception can easily become the reality as we all have just experienced in Iraq.
Most people do not realize that our American troops have invaded and occupied more countries in the last fifty years than any other nation on Earth - even the Soviets (i.e. Grenada, Panama, Haiti, El Salvador, Iraq, etc.). Americans troops killed more Iraqi civilians in just four years than Saddam killed in his last decade of rule. As you read these very words. we have our troops in 89 countries around the world and less than half of these nations invited them. We are the only nation in history to use nuclear weapons against another country, yet our President regularly tries to dictate which other countries should "be allowed" to have them. Our own government has recruited and funded the campaigns of over a dozen ruthless dictators in the last half century (i.e. Somoza, Marcos, Noriega, Saddam, etc) and even a few terrorists like the Taliban and Bin Laden, who George Bush Sr. once called "freedom fighters" when they were trying to expel the Soviets from Afghanistan. But now that we have become the occupiers the "terrorist" label becomes more convenient. These waffling allegiances of ever-changing convenience do not go unnoticed in the world, and honestly, if you witnessed the events of the last ten years abroad as a Jordanian, Italian, Peruvian etc. could you possibly trust the American government?
We Americans may enjoy the luxury of great wealth and technology but we do not have a monopoly on intelligence. Politically we may even be one of the least astute people on this planet given our tolerance of the current status quo in America, It matters little that we call ourselves "liberators" if the rest of the world sees us as "aggressors", "invaders", and occupiers". It is the public's perception of reality rather than the actual reality itself that our politicians manipulate so well. "Imbedded" news crews are a great way to censor the news as even the late Peter Jennings pointed out in a CBC documentary. While President Bush adheres to his "might makes right" policies, what little friends we have left in this shrinking world are being alienated by the scores. We have become a nation that is feared but not trusted nor respected - a dangerous scenario that breeds even more hatred and schemes to attack "the common bully".
There is a way of course, to stop most of this hatred and restore some of the world's lost respect and trust in America, but the solution is not one that would ever be easily embraced by our current administration. It would require some simple but public acknowledgements and basic apologies to the people of Iraq and followed with restitution for civilian casualties and a sincere effort to rebuild Iraq back to its original modern glory and polished sheen. We must admit that our invasion of Iraq was a mistake based on misinformation and clearly tell the world that Iraqi had no role in 911 as we now know to be true. Our government would have to open a dialogue with those whose hatred runs deep because Muslim law mandates that they "forgive all who seek forgiveness with a sincere heart".
We would not have to abandon our support for Israel, but our support for Israel could no longer be unconditional. It would have to be a fair and just alliance that compels Israel to be a good neighbor. Diplomacy and perseverance would only prevail if we compel our government to stop exploiting and meddling in foreign lands, and withdraw our troops form lands where the local people clearly don't want them. All of this would demonstrate a genuine good will that just maybe, might be embraced and bear fruit. Granted, it might take decades to erase all the hatred and emotional scars we inflicted upon these people, but is not a life without fear of terrorism in a relatively peaceful world worth the effort? If we continue on our current path of "big stick intimidation" policy it won't be more than a decade before we fully isolate ourselves in the world from even our most traditional allies. Should the world really do as we say and not as we do?
Indeed, America is a great country and superpower. But nobody appointed us as the world's policeman or babysitter and if we are true champions of democracy, we need to lead by example and stop imposing our will by brute military force. Our real national interests should stop at our own borders and our troops utilized only in genuine national defense or clear threat of imminent attack. We have the security of nuclear deterrence so there is really no need for political arrogance. Norwegians sleep safe, secure, and soundly every night, and so can we, if we choose to be a good neighbor in the world and actually abide by that Golden Rule principle, A simplistic solution? Perhaps, But we'd have to at least try to find out. Those who died five years ago at the World Trade Center would not want their deaths nor the sacrifice and suffering of their families to be in vain. As a civilized, intelligent, society, do we not owe them something more than just revenge? Do we want to leave our children a better and safer world, or shall we just keep our heads in the sand? SUBMITTED BY: BruceAGorcyca@yahoo.com