Struggle on Terror — World Points

Response to the September 11, 2001 occasions

With disbelief and shock world wide individuals noticed the information footage of the occasions on September 11, 2001 when the planes-turned-missiles slammed into the World Commerce Heart towers and into the Pentagon. What might be the worst terrorist assault on the US, was completely inexcusable and roundly condemned.

Some 3000 have been killed. Preliminary fears have been that it was over 6000 Plenty of elements for this revised quantity, have been stated to incorporate preliminary overestimates; a couple of particular person reporting the identical lacking particular person; heroic rescue operations, and many others. This decrease quantity doesn’t in any means cut back the impression although.)

The following bombing of Afghanistan to assault Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda terrorist community and the Taliban for harboring them has additionally led to some 3,500 civilian deaths, in keeping with an impartial research launched at first of December 2001.

The ghastly terrorist assaults led to a mix of political, social and financial response world wide.

Hatred and anti-Islam sentiment, (with out distinguishing the despotic militants from odd Muslims) elevated, although a lot of the Muslim communities world wide condemned this act.

Whereas seen efforts have been seen by politicians to attempt to separate terrorists from Muslims on the whole, it has not been straightforward. On the one hand, after years of financial and geopolitical historical past, there are some facets of mistrust, whereas then again, extremists within the Muslim and Christian communities are including to the antagonisms. For instance, throughout the top of the shock and anger to the September 11 assaults, extremist tendencies within the West resulted in beatings and even killings of Muslims. Even non-Muslims that simply occurred to have lengthy beards or indirectly resembled Taliban/Al Qaeda members have been focused. Others noticed this as proof that Islam is inherently violent or that it’s the main risk to the remainder of the world, and many others. On the Muslim facet, there have additionally been equally excessive reactions, from assist of those terrorist acts to even being satisfied that this was some form of Zionist conspiracy responsible Muslims! In each instances these appear to be a minority of individuals with such excessive views however in fact the priority is all the time that it’s going to enhance over time.

There was no query that there was going to be some form of retaliation and response from the US. One couldn’t have anticipated them critically to chorus from eager to take revenge. But the concern was in what kind this revenge could be and the way it might be carried out in addition to what the impression on odd Afghans could be, who’ve already suffered by the hands of the Taliban and out of doors forces for years.

As well as, some eight months after the assaults it was revealed within the mainstream press world wide that the CIA had warned George Bush of the threats weeks earlier than September 11. This brought on an uproar in lots of locations, together with the US Congress, the place members demanded extra info to know if all these deaths may have been prevented.

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Ensuing Struggle on Terror

The horrible occasions of September 11 noticed the appreciable quieting of what was till then rising home and worldwide criticism of the Bush Administration. The September 11 occasions resulted in a conflict on terror which noticed assist for Bush and his reputation soar on the time.

As much as September 11, 2001, the Bush administration was being criticized world wide for its stances on varied points domestically and internationally. Even European and different allies have been very crucial of positions on quite a few international points.

However even earlier than the Bush Administration, all through the world, many countries and teams of individuals had expressed their frustrations at how U.S. international insurance policies had affected them on all types of points, starting from financial/globalization points which have deepened poverty and/or inequality for most individuals world wide; geopolitics/arms/missile protection; environmental points and so forth. Protests both immediately, or not directly at U.S. insurance policies have occurred all world wide—particularly on globalization points—as talked about on this website. (See the part on international protests for extra on that, for instance).

But that can not be an excuse for the atrocity of September 11 because it killed many harmless individuals. On the identical time, individuals have accurately identified that when different areas world wide have confronted comparable terrorist assaults, the outpouring of concern and condemnation has not been as a lot. The Washington Publish (September 12, 2001) even dared to confess this at such a delicate time shortly after the assaults. (Their article is now not on-line.)

Nevertheless, behind the unity of the American individuals within the shock of September 11, a heightened sense of safety resulted with issues reverberating all through the world. Many have been involved in regards to the ensuing crackdown of freedoms and civil liberties in varied nations. Many nervous that varied nations world wide would additionally use this conflict on terror as an excuse to pursue extra aggressive choices on their very own residents.

For instance, contemplate the issues Amnesty Worldwide raised in October 2001, shortly after the September 11, 2001 assaults: Within the identify of preventing worldwide terrorism, governments have rushed to introduce draconian new measures that threaten the human rights of their very own residents, immigrants and refugees…. Governments have a duty to make sure the protection of their residents, however measures taken should not undermine elementary human rights requirements. It seems that a few of the initiatives presently being mentioned or applied could also be used to curb primary human rights and to suppress inside opposition. A number of the definitions of terrorism below dialogue are so broad that they may very well be used to criminalize anybody out of favor with these in energy and criminalize authentic peaceable train of the correct to freedom of expression and affiliation. They may additionally put in danger the correct to privateness and threaten the rights of minorities and asylum-seekers.

In Might 2003, Amnesty Worldwide charged, The conflict on terror, removed from making the world a safer place, has made it extra harmful by curbing human rights, undermining the rule of worldwide regulation and shielding governments from scrutiny. It has deepened divisions amongst individuals of various faiths and origins, sowing the seeds for extra battle. The overwhelming impression of all that is real concern—among the many prosperous in addition to the poor.

Even within the U.S. a few of the ensuing insurance policies on how suspects will likely be handled, on how entry to non-public info will likely be made obtainable for safety issues and so forth, led to debates in any respect ranges on what is taken into account an assault on civil liberties, and what’s affordable for safety. On the international coverage enviornment, there was rising concern that the U.S. would be capable to use the conflict on terror to pursue aggressive insurance policies that have been beforehand criticized by many different individuals. This may vary from financial, to political and even navy insurance policies. The Iraq conflict was one such instance, the place amongst different issues, the priority of terrorism was used to justify a conflict towards Iraq, although the terrorism hyperlinks weren’t actual.

Additionally of significance, with its free definition of terror, there’s concern that the conflict on terror , may even have an effect on all these working truthfully for peace and social justice for all, as even they’ll come below scrutiny for maybe appropriately criticizing insurance policies of any variety of nations and organizations world wide, together with these from the West.

The conflict on terror has in some respects, led to what has been described as a conflict on freedom.

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Mainstream Media

Whereas residents all over the place, particularly People, have been rightly outraged on the assaults, the mainstream media has largely focused on the consequences, the assorted aftermaths and impacts, and reporting what political leaders are doing, saying or not doing, or not saying, and many others. They’ve additionally reported immense element on a few of the facets of the particular bombing in Afghanistan, and many others. As with most different conflicts in current historical past although, whereas monumental in amount, media reporting seems comparatively missing in depth, historic context, and investigative evaluation on the causes that gas such outrageous militant extremism and terrorism.

The so-called vary of discourse then, is kind of slim, however inside it, protection is kind of detailed. The reporting of some facets is certainly very transferring and excellent. There’s, nevertheless, acceptable criticism of some extremism creeping into some facets of the mainstream media as nicely, in sure circumstances. Importantly although, our vary of views can also be affected by the vary of discourse. That is particularly related now, as residents search solutions on how and why such a horrible atrocity may very well be dedicated. (For extra on the protection of the media, with evaluation and critique of the mainstream media itself, see this website’s part: Struggle on Terror Mainstream Media and Propaganda)

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Will violence result in extra violence?

With all of the vivid imagery, we are able to solely now start to think about how different individuals and societies world wide have suffered in different conditions. With usually worse outcomes, albeit not so sudden and stunning, whole cities/areas have been leveled and/or monumental quantity of life has been misplaced in locations like Kosovo, Iraq, Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Hiroshima/Nagasaki, throughout Europe throughout the World Wars, and too many different locations to have the ability to listing right here.

With the US-led bombing marketing campaign on Afghanistan, there has all the time been increasingly concern about civilians being caught within the center. Certainly, by early December 2001, some 3,500 Afghan civilians have been believed to have been killed by U.S. bombing. Moreover, many help companies criticized the meals drops for not delivering a lot precise help and being a token gesture, reasonably than an efficient one.

Maybe one of many greatest fears, voiced earlier than the retaliation began, is that retaliated violence may lead to extra retaliated violence and we danger tit-for-tat violence that appears arduous to get out of. In all this, civilians on all sides will all the time be affected. We solely want remind ourselves of that shuddering speech by Osama Bin Laden on his threats of retaliation towards civilians and of varied hawkish politicians within the West asking for the equal of no mercy. Martin Luther King is value quoting:

But, how does one get out of this vicious circle? After all it isn’t straightforward, and even plenty of the peace motion wrestle on this reply, however maybe if extra voice was given within the media to those broader views, then various ideas may very well be thought of. True, extra on peace-related alternate options are mentioned in TV boards and debates, however in relation to the precise reporting and one-on-one dialogue and evaluation, the context is proscribed to the present actions and choices. The discussions are due to this fact inside these confines, largely.

On the international coverage entrance, even current historical past of the final 50 years or so has been questionable by each Western leaders and Center Jap leaders. For instance, the assist by the west of brutal leaders within the center east has contributed to an extremist backlash. Of their struggle to get the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan, Osama Bin Laden himself, in addition to different jihadists, have been supported by the US, encouraging the coaching of jihadists and the rise of miltantism to impress opposition to the communists. Because the article within the earlier hyperlink implies, whereas plainly the lesser of two evils was supported, maybe the long run penalties weren’t absolutely explored and it does appear that violence and concern breeds extra violence and concern.

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President Bush dropping the conflict on terror

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Further articles and hyperlinks

On quite a few fronts there are numerous, many issues happening which readers have requested me to put in writing on. It’s troublesome to maintain up with all of the angles with the view to put in writing on all of them. Because of this, for now, till I’m able to catch up, included beneath, below this part on the conflict on terrorism are articles reposted from different websites and authors from world wide that supply a wide range of deeper and wider views and views. They’re broadly categorized into the sections listed beneath, though many articles can simply match different classes too.

Additionally, within the Extra Info web page is a rising assortment of hyperlinks and sources to different websites that supply deeper views.

I don’t essentially agree with the entire views of all of the hyperlinks and sources offered, and certainly not are they a complete listing, reasonably an instance.

A number of the extra mainstream sources focus far more on the consequences and aftermaths, whereas a few of the different sources additionally supply deeper evaluation on causes in addition to ramifications world wide. These websites have extra hyperlinks that you may comply with to different websites. Extra websites will likely be added as time goes on.

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