tp42.xml
Title
tp42.xml
Source
born-digital
Media Type
story
Date Entered
2003-02-24
TomPaine Story: Story
"Toward A More Perfect Union: Lessons Learned - Or Not -Since 9/11"
In the year 2000, candidate George W. Bush spoke of having a humble, non-arrogant foreign policy. Since his presidency, the contrary has been the case. One of his first acts was to intensify the bombing of Iraq, which only increased the hatred towards America. In a letter to the editor of mine to the Salt Lake Tribune dated, Tuesday, July 13, 1993 entitled ""Islamic Grievances"" I wrote:
""Israel and the Palestinians have been going at it an eye for an eye for nearly 50 years and have only reconfirmed the old adages that hate breeds hate and violence begets more violence. Now the United States is being sucked into a similar tit for tat with Iraq. As horrible as it is to envision, I am convinced that if we do not change our course and deal more seriously and sensibly with the grievances of the Islamic world (whether real or perceived) we will experience the explosion of a nuclear weapon in New York City before the year 2000.""
The above was written a few months after the initial World Trade Center parking garage bombing in February of 1993. Even though my fear was not accurate in fact, it was close to it in effect. I refer to this only to make the point that I was not surprised with the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Since the day after the Gulf War with Iraq ended, one knew Saddam Hussein (and others) would devise ways to take out revenge on the United States. If there had been a full page add in the New York Times so proclaiming, it could have not been plainer.
What have we learned from this horrific incident? The answer appears to be very little in regard to our standing in the world and conduct of foreign policy. Obviously, what was spoken of earlier by the president never saw the light of day, and he and his advisors remain blind and deaf to what is self-evident to most of the rest of the world. How many more 9/11's will it take?
In the year 2000, candidate George W. Bush spoke of having a humble, non-arrogant foreign policy. Since his presidency, the contrary has been the case. One of his first acts was to intensify the bombing of Iraq, which only increased the hatred towards America. In a letter to the editor of mine to the Salt Lake Tribune dated, Tuesday, July 13, 1993 entitled ""Islamic Grievances"" I wrote:
""Israel and the Palestinians have been going at it an eye for an eye for nearly 50 years and have only reconfirmed the old adages that hate breeds hate and violence begets more violence. Now the United States is being sucked into a similar tit for tat with Iraq. As horrible as it is to envision, I am convinced that if we do not change our course and deal more seriously and sensibly with the grievances of the Islamic world (whether real or perceived) we will experience the explosion of a nuclear weapon in New York City before the year 2000.""
The above was written a few months after the initial World Trade Center parking garage bombing in February of 1993. Even though my fear was not accurate in fact, it was close to it in effect. I refer to this only to make the point that I was not surprised with the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Since the day after the Gulf War with Iraq ended, one knew Saddam Hussein (and others) would devise ways to take out revenge on the United States. If there had been a full page add in the New York Times so proclaiming, it could have not been plainer.
What have we learned from this horrific incident? The answer appears to be very little in regard to our standing in the world and conduct of foreign policy. Obviously, what was spoken of earlier by the president never saw the light of day, and he and his advisors remain blind and deaf to what is self-evident to most of the rest of the world. How many more 9/11's will it take?
Collection
Citation
“tp42.xml,” September 11 Digital Archive, accessed May 19, 2024, https://911digitalarchive.org/items/show/785.