Failure to Prevent 9/11 by Gerald Posner Review

Bin Laden welcomes war
Information technology will give him an elevated status among the extremists

By Manou Marzban
September 11, 2003
The Iranian

Sent to iranian.com on September 18, 2001, days after the 9/11 tragedy. It is being published for the first time.

First and foremost, permit me say that the WTC/Pentagon tragedy is unacceptable and an deed so inhuman that it curdles my blood and depresses me greatly. Permit me add together that any violent human activity that is carried out in the name of God, faith or conventionalities is against the true principles of whatsoever faith. Also permit me add that whatever loss of life due to poltical gain is also unacceptable. Now let's wake upward: information technology happens every haemorrhage mean solar day.

I am really writing in response to Guive's Mirfendereki's superb editorial [Defining moment], which was very much on target, especially this very insightful paragraph:

The statement is that as long as the United States is present in the Persian Gulf countries and underwrites the survival of the bedraggled Arab monarchies, from Kuwait to Oman, these countries would not take an opportunity to develop into progressive republics. One would assume that Bin Laden would take wanted to have an opportunity to takeover Saudi Arabia and it is rubber to assume that he would not exist given to secular political forms or machinations. But the other new republics would have a choice from the menu that consists of Pakistan (mild), Iran (sweet and sour), and Transitional islamic state of afghanistan (double pepper) forms of Islamic government.

I too believe that as long equally in that location is global poverty and a lack of the bones infrastracture for a society to evolve (i.e Afghanistan), particularly in respect to eductation and wellness, we volition have very poor pockets that are doubtable to any rhetoric, let alone a religious telephone call-to-activeness. Hence nosotros keep hearing 'jihad'. The ultimate rallying cry.

Bin Laden has wanted the U.s. out of the region for various reasons, least of all to come across secular republics replace decadent Gulf monarchies. However, if he creates a situation that baits the Usa into armed forces action, the result of the devastation and destruction is a stronger Bin Laden. Dead or live. The more than poverty, restlessness, and international scrutiny, the more than recruits for any extremist cause in the region.

I strongly believe that Bin Laden's focus is to create instability, and he fifty-fifty welcomes state of war. Information technology will give him an elevated status among the extremists, and convert those that previously were undecided on his agenda. And he may well become his run a risk of forcing his 'carte' of Islamic republics in the region. I believe that his long-term objective is exactly merely that, create as many Islamic republics nether his sphere of influence as possible. If he does, we accept taken a giant step backwards in the Middle East. And the US is playing straight into his easily. Cunning over muscle works every time.

Ultimately, the US has carried war machine campaigns globally for years, killing people in their own home towns. At present that this equation has been reversed, its hard to digest the fact in the West. Who exactly will the Us hit in the Middel East anyway? There is null left to striking in Transitional islamic state of afghanistan. Zip is intact, its already been destroyed through years of ceremonious unrest. Basis troops? And then what? Wait under every rock in terrain more unfriendly than Mars? What about the dangers of chemic or biological strikes against the West from a desperate Bin Laden? Are nosotros ready for that?

A faceless enemy that is nowhere and everwhere. An enemy very much entrenched in its own region likewise as entrenched in its opponents lodge (even protected in some places, like in the US, under the banner of 'civil liberties' - how ironic). The West merely cannot win a state of war against global Islam'ism'.

Finally, back to my thesis; that poverty breeds extremism, and religion (or credo) simply helps organise the masses for mobilisation. Later on WWI, the economic depression (read: poverty) in Frg helped the Nazi's gain momentum. Communism raised its head not in avant-garde societies as Marx predicted, but agriculturally based economies suffering depression and restlessness (Russia, China). Throughout the 20th Century, it was in poor countries that saw the US and the USSR lock horns (result: years of instability and puppet governments plus lots of expressionless people).

The basic notion here is that in the cases of Germany, Russia or China, it was nationalism or communism (poltical ideologies) that motivated the masses. In reality, it was economic depression and gross poverty. Yes, there were many other reasons for the rise of national-socialism and communism, but poverty and desperation were the nucleus.

To a poor, uneducated, and desperate individual existing on zip in Afghanistan, anyone that fights in the name of the poor and underprivileged, and has taken on the mighty The states, Israel and others, is a hero. Bin Laden has taken it one step further and introduced state of war in the proper name of God. Jihad. The ultimate announcement. The ultimate payback.

Until nosotros accost global poverty and the gap betwixt the accept'southward and have non'south we will reel in discontent and violence. I don't have the answers, nor do I judge how people feel or should experience on both sides of the fence. I accept read all sorts of rationalisations and blame for this tragedy; the Israeli/Palestinian consequence, Saddam Hussien'south revenge, the Opium Trade, Bin Laden'due south hatred for the Usa, even Pakistan vs India. In reality, it may have been all of the above or just a band of pissed off maniacs (Oklahoma band a bong?).

I tin can understand the telephone call for revenge in the The states - specially after CNN'due south over-the-superlative role in bringing the misery to our living rooms so vividly - only I can besides run into how this can get out of hand. This is truly a time to use brain over musculus - or face possibly worse consequences than the WTC tragedy.

The climate is panicky and this is not the time to lay arraign blindly unless proof is 'in the pudding', as we say in England. It was upsetting to hear (via an interview) a certain Royal personage blame the current Iranian government of harbouring terrorists. What if the response would be a devastating bombardment of Iranian facilities by the W, killing scores of Iranians? Ahhh, more forage for Bin Laden.

If you lot desire the real reason for a polarisation of the West with Islam'ism' or other ideologies...look at the poverty that engulfs the 3rd earth, and the disability (or unwillingness) of global social, economic and financial institutions to solve it. What saddens me is that many more than innocent people volition die and suffer before we can even run into a glimmer of promise.

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Source: https://iranian.com/Opinion/2003/September/911D/index.html

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