We Got Him
It took nearly ten years, but Osama Bin Laden is dead.
His survival was the greatest failure of our war on terrorism. Now that he's been bodybagged, hopefully, those personally hit by his evil can have a measure of peace. Now, we can heal.
I know I will.
I'll sleep well tonight.
UPDATE: Allegedly, here's where Bin Laden holed up. (thanks nymag)
Showing posts with label september 11th. Show all posts
Showing posts with label september 11th. Show all posts
Monday, May 02, 2011
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Seven Years
Osama Bin Laden is still free.
The World Trade Center is still a hole in the ground.
Oil prices have quadrupled.
4,721 American soldiers are dead.
The national debt has doubled.
Russia is performing military exercises in Venezuela.
The Euro is stronger than the dollar.
91,380 civilians have been killed in Iraq.
The inflation rate has doubled.
More than 40 terror groups have joined al Qaeda in the past 3 years.
The Taliban control half of Afghanistan.
A BBC poll found 49% of people worldwide think the U.S. hurts the world.
In the seven years since 9/11, the United States has done nothing to erase the scars created that tragic day. In fact, in most cases, our government has increased the magnitude of the loss we suffered. Nearly 3,000 died on that September morning, but since then, thousands upon thousands more have lost their lives. By attacking the center of our nation's financial strength, the terrorists sought to destroy our economy and change our way of life. Thanks to the Republican administration over the past 7 years, the terrorists have largely succeeded. The economy is imperiled, overwhelming security has hindered even the most innocuous of our recreational activities, and the national discourse now focuses on "who's more patriotic" rather than promoting advances in science and technology.
That would be bad enough.
Worse, the mastermind of this crime is still at large. His organization is growing. The despotic leaders that gave him shelter still control half of Afghanistan, seven years after the greatest army in the world began an attempt to drive them out. Worse, we devoted our resources to a different nation, Iraq, a country which had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11. In doing so, we created two safe havens for terrorists-- in an uncontrolled Afghanistan and a leaderless Iraq.
We sunk so much money into our misadventures since 9/11, that our nation's infrastructure is crumbling. New Orleans, one of our nation's most beautiful cities, is still a shattered shell, 3 years after Hurricane Katrina. The city hardest hit by the September 11th attacks still has its gaping, open wound downtown, while skyscrapers and hotels are popping up in places like China and Dubai with astonishing speed and regularity.
Seven years after 9/11, our country hasn't recovered. What's worse, it's actually declined further. When the world saw the towers fall, they reached out to us, unequivocally. They wanted to know how they could help. We brushed them aside with a preemptive war that even Colin Powell had to lie about to justify. And now, stuck in the money pit, we see our banks and mortgage lenders collapsing. Oil prices inflating the costs of everyday goods and services. And rapidly disappearing influence, both financial and political, throughout the world.
Seven years after 9/11, make no mistake. The terrorists are winning. Every day Bin Laden twiddles his thumbs is testament to that. Our President isn't concerned with any of this. Indeed... we've seen him little in the past few months, save for an address at the Republican National Convention.
"Osama bin Laden is not out there leading any parades," says White House spokesperson Dana Perino.
He doesn't have to. He's doing just fine destroying America while sitting in a cave.
-------------------------
You should really check out Thomas Friedman on Charlie Rose. He says some real intelligent things. "We've become the United States of Fighting Terrorism." So true. Whatever happened to the America that was the beacon of freedom, science, and culture? Is the new American dream simply "lets not get blown up??" Feel free to skip to 20:09, because a lot of the earlier stuff is about the environment and Friedman's latest book.
A nice piece on the Republicans' failed attempt to "change the world" after 9/11.
You can read my previously stated feelings about 9/11 here.
Osama Bin Laden is still free.
The World Trade Center is still a hole in the ground.
Oil prices have quadrupled.
4,721 American soldiers are dead.
The national debt has doubled.
Russia is performing military exercises in Venezuela.
The Euro is stronger than the dollar.
91,380 civilians have been killed in Iraq.
The inflation rate has doubled.
More than 40 terror groups have joined al Qaeda in the past 3 years.
The Taliban control half of Afghanistan.
A BBC poll found 49% of people worldwide think the U.S. hurts the world.
In the seven years since 9/11, the United States has done nothing to erase the scars created that tragic day. In fact, in most cases, our government has increased the magnitude of the loss we suffered. Nearly 3,000 died on that September morning, but since then, thousands upon thousands more have lost their lives. By attacking the center of our nation's financial strength, the terrorists sought to destroy our economy and change our way of life. Thanks to the Republican administration over the past 7 years, the terrorists have largely succeeded. The economy is imperiled, overwhelming security has hindered even the most innocuous of our recreational activities, and the national discourse now focuses on "who's more patriotic" rather than promoting advances in science and technology.
That would be bad enough.
Worse, the mastermind of this crime is still at large. His organization is growing. The despotic leaders that gave him shelter still control half of Afghanistan, seven years after the greatest army in the world began an attempt to drive them out. Worse, we devoted our resources to a different nation, Iraq, a country which had nothing to do with the attacks on 9/11. In doing so, we created two safe havens for terrorists-- in an uncontrolled Afghanistan and a leaderless Iraq.
We sunk so much money into our misadventures since 9/11, that our nation's infrastructure is crumbling. New Orleans, one of our nation's most beautiful cities, is still a shattered shell, 3 years after Hurricane Katrina. The city hardest hit by the September 11th attacks still has its gaping, open wound downtown, while skyscrapers and hotels are popping up in places like China and Dubai with astonishing speed and regularity.
Seven years after 9/11, our country hasn't recovered. What's worse, it's actually declined further. When the world saw the towers fall, they reached out to us, unequivocally. They wanted to know how they could help. We brushed them aside with a preemptive war that even Colin Powell had to lie about to justify. And now, stuck in the money pit, we see our banks and mortgage lenders collapsing. Oil prices inflating the costs of everyday goods and services. And rapidly disappearing influence, both financial and political, throughout the world.
Seven years after 9/11, make no mistake. The terrorists are winning. Every day Bin Laden twiddles his thumbs is testament to that. Our President isn't concerned with any of this. Indeed... we've seen him little in the past few months, save for an address at the Republican National Convention.
"Osama bin Laden is not out there leading any parades," says White House spokesperson Dana Perino.
He doesn't have to. He's doing just fine destroying America while sitting in a cave.
-------------------------
You should really check out Thomas Friedman on Charlie Rose. He says some real intelligent things. "We've become the United States of Fighting Terrorism." So true. Whatever happened to the America that was the beacon of freedom, science, and culture? Is the new American dream simply "lets not get blown up??" Feel free to skip to 20:09, because a lot of the earlier stuff is about the environment and Friedman's latest book.
A nice piece on the Republicans' failed attempt to "change the world" after 9/11.
You can read my previously stated feelings about 9/11 here.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Post-
Woke up a little before 9 am. Suitemate said a plane hit the Twin Towers. Turned on the TV. Mom called. Told me not to use this as an excuse not to go to class.
Just after nine AM. Me and my roommates see the second plane hit on tv. Mom calls back.
Don't go to class, she says.
We get dressed, go outside. The towers are smoking. Everyone on the street is staring the same direction. After a few minutes, we go into a deli, get some breakfast.
Go back into the dorm, watch the towers collapse on tv. Roommate's friend visiting from California discovers he won't be flying home for a while. We go back outside. Nothing but smoke. Everyone staring.
Around 10, the first people arrive, walking up from downtown. All covered in gray ash. Some staring straight ahead, some staring at the ground, none staring back. Everyone staring at them. A man in a suit, holding a briefcase, trying to get through on his cell phone-- his sweat making streaks in his ash covered skin. A woman collapses to her knees, a man, a stranger, rushes over and puts his arms around her.
An ambulance rushes past, coming from downtown, throwing off grey dust. People stand on the corner and applaud it. Then they look at each other awkwardly. The air smells like a blacksmith shop.
We go back inside, sit in front of the TV for hours, watching the coverage. Where the hell is the President? Giuliani says everything will be ok. Somehow, I feel a bit better. We drape an American flag bag over the side of our balcony. Finally, I go with my suitemate to the duane reade to buy some supplies for the rescue effort. The shelves are almost empty.
We walk past the barricades at 14th street, showing our NYU student IDs to the police officers. I've never heard the city so silent before. No alarms, no horns. Just people staring in silence at the thick smoke shrouding downtown.
They're having a vigil in Washington Square Park. People are holding candles. Me and my roommates decide not to go. Instead we drink a few beers and stare at the tv. My eyes hurt. It's late. I answer some IMs and return a few phone calls from people wondering if I'm alright.
A thin film of gray dust covers everything on our balcony. I try to wipe it away, but it sticks. I realize I'm breathing in remains.
I'm fine, I say. I learn my high school friend lost his sister.
I get a weird call on my cell phone which sounds like people screaming. It sounds like things collapsing. I wonder if it's someone's sick idea of a joke or if its just that the phones are somehow screwed up.
And I go to bed that night hoping it was all just a nightmare. That the next day I'll turn on my TV and there won't be any mention of anything.
But the next day it's all still there. And it still is.
[What if?]
[And what if?]
[and what if?]
[or what if?]
[and what if?]
PLUS:
"Tears don't flow the same in space."
and
Maybe it's just me, but perhaps this is not the best way to commemorate 9/11
Woke up a little before 9 am. Suitemate said a plane hit the Twin Towers. Turned on the TV. Mom called. Told me not to use this as an excuse not to go to class.
Just after nine AM. Me and my roommates see the second plane hit on tv. Mom calls back.
Don't go to class, she says.
We get dressed, go outside. The towers are smoking. Everyone on the street is staring the same direction. After a few minutes, we go into a deli, get some breakfast.
Go back into the dorm, watch the towers collapse on tv. Roommate's friend visiting from California discovers he won't be flying home for a while. We go back outside. Nothing but smoke. Everyone staring.
Around 10, the first people arrive, walking up from downtown. All covered in gray ash. Some staring straight ahead, some staring at the ground, none staring back. Everyone staring at them. A man in a suit, holding a briefcase, trying to get through on his cell phone-- his sweat making streaks in his ash covered skin. A woman collapses to her knees, a man, a stranger, rushes over and puts his arms around her.
An ambulance rushes past, coming from downtown, throwing off grey dust. People stand on the corner and applaud it. Then they look at each other awkwardly. The air smells like a blacksmith shop.
We go back inside, sit in front of the TV for hours, watching the coverage. Where the hell is the President? Giuliani says everything will be ok. Somehow, I feel a bit better. We drape an American flag bag over the side of our balcony. Finally, I go with my suitemate to the duane reade to buy some supplies for the rescue effort. The shelves are almost empty.
We walk past the barricades at 14th street, showing our NYU student IDs to the police officers. I've never heard the city so silent before. No alarms, no horns. Just people staring in silence at the thick smoke shrouding downtown.
They're having a vigil in Washington Square Park. People are holding candles. Me and my roommates decide not to go. Instead we drink a few beers and stare at the tv. My eyes hurt. It's late. I answer some IMs and return a few phone calls from people wondering if I'm alright.
A thin film of gray dust covers everything on our balcony. I try to wipe it away, but it sticks. I realize I'm breathing in remains.
I'm fine, I say. I learn my high school friend lost his sister.
I get a weird call on my cell phone which sounds like people screaming. It sounds like things collapsing. I wonder if it's someone's sick idea of a joke or if its just that the phones are somehow screwed up.
And I go to bed that night hoping it was all just a nightmare. That the next day I'll turn on my TV and there won't be any mention of anything.
But the next day it's all still there. And it still is.
[What if?]
[And what if?]
[and what if?]
[or what if?]
[and what if?]
PLUS:
"Tears don't flow the same in space."
and
Maybe it's just me, but perhaps this is not the best way to commemorate 9/11
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