Reflections on 9/11
For most reading this it seems like yesterday when the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon were attacked by terrorists associated with Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban. I remember where I was and who I was talking to at the time of the attacks.
The neighborly commorodary and the compassion for the American way of life was exponentially high, American flags were displayed on most houses, and we surrounded the ones affected by this tragedy. We were one. One Nation. One family. For a few days at least.
“I can hear you, the rest of the world can hear you and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon.”
-George W. Bush, Speaking to emergency workers on the rubble of the WTC
Soon the compassion for each other turned into hatred for people somewhere east of us. We wanted revenge. Over 2,000 people died in these attacks and their death could not go unpunished. Osama Bin Laden was hard to find but fortunately there was a country close enough that was run by a dictator and didn’t get along with the US. This country was the proverbial Win-Win for attacking from the political administration at the time. Did I mention oil? Win-Win-Win.
When the retribution for 9/11 started in Iraq over 66% of the population was for war.
War raged. Statues Tumbled. New Iraqi Government was elected.
Much like any war, when the losing country tries to rebuild there is a “Vacuum of Power” that follows. If you need an example follow the path of most extremist Islamic groups in Southwest Asia. When an outside force comes into a country to overthrow the government the residents will be affected in one of three ways. They will die, they will know someone who died at the hands of the invading force, or they will like the government that was overthrown. These three situations apply to almost everyone inside an invaded country. All this does is build resentment toward the invading force.
Look at Al-Qaeda, Taliban, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. These three terrorist organizations were formed by resentment. These three organizations have thrived in the vacuum of power where an invading force has come into their country, stood up a Republic, attempted to train forces, called the mission complete, and sent large numbers of troops back to their home country.
This was the point in American History that we knew who was responsible but picked on someone else. We picked the most vulnerable and the easiest to attack. We picked the one that would provide the most profit back to our nation. It was a business venture that happened to break out in war.
If you look at our divided nation today you will see the same sentiment on an individual to individual level. Our actions from one American to another may be the worst in history post segregation and the Civil Rights Movement. Our government chose to pick on the little guy who carried little to no guilt and taught a generation of people that displacing blame and attacking is the appropriate action.
Looking back 18 years we can all see many opportunities that could have been taken to embetter our existence and our country. We can’t bring back the deceased and we can’t undo any action good or bad, but we can learn. Learn to not repeat the sins of our predecessors.
There’s a lot more to talk about here but I am keeping it short and sweet today. Learn, adjust course, and move in the right direction to be better than the people who came before us.
-D
