Struggle on Terror — International Points

Response to the September 11, 2001 occasions

With disbelief and shock around the globe folks noticed the information footage of the occasions on September 11, 2001 when the planes-turned-missiles slammed into the World Commerce Middle towers and into the Pentagon. What might be the worst terrorist assault on the USA, was completely inexcusable and roundly condemned.

Some 3000 have been killed. Preliminary fears have been that it was over 6000 A lot of components for this revised quantity, have been mentioned to incorporate preliminary overestimates; a couple of particular person reporting the identical lacking particular person; heroic rescue operations, and so on. This decrease quantity doesn’t in any means cut back the affect 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, based on an impartial research launched at the start of December 2001.

The ghastly terrorist assaults led to a combination of political, social and financial response around the globe.

Hatred and anti-Islam sentiment, (with out distinguishing the despotic militants from abnormal Muslims) elevated, regardless that many of the Muslim communities around the globe 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 simple. On the one hand, after years of financial and geopolitical historical past, there are some points of mistrust, whereas however, extremists within the Muslim and Christian communities are including to the antagonisms. For instance, throughout the peak 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 ultimately resembled Taliban/Al Qaeda members have been focused. Others noticed this as proof that Islam is inherently violent or that it’s the main menace to the remainder of the world, and so on. 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 kind of Zionist conspiracy in charge Muslims! In each circumstances 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 kind of retaliation and response from the USA. One couldn’t have anticipated them significantly to chorus from desirous to take revenge. But the concern was in what kind this revenge can be and the way it will be carried out in addition to what the affect on abnormal Afghans can 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 around the globe that the CIA had warned George Bush of the threats weeks earlier than September 11. This prompted an uproar in lots of locations, together with the USA Congress, the place members demanded extra info to grasp if all these deaths may have been prevented.

Again to prime

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 struggle 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 around the globe for its stances on numerous points domestically and internationally. Even European and different allies have been very essential of positions on quite a few world 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. overseas insurance policies had affected them on all kinds of points, starting from financial/globalization points which have deepened poverty and/or inequality for most individuals around the globe; geopolitics/arms/missile protection; environmental points and so forth. Protests both instantly, or not directly at U.S. insurance policies have occurred all around the globe—particularly on globalization points—as talked about on this website. (See the part on world protests for extra on that, for instance).

But that can’t be an excuse for the atrocity of September 11 because it killed many harmless folks. On the identical time, folks have accurately identified that when different areas around the globe have confronted related terrorist assaults, the outpouring of concern and condemnation has not been as a lot. The Washington Put up (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 folks within the shock of September 11, a heightened sense of safety resulted with considerations reverberating all through the world. Many have been involved in regards to the ensuing crackdown of freedoms and civil liberties in numerous nations. Many anxious that numerous nations around the globe would additionally use this struggle on terror as an excuse to pursue extra aggressive choices on their very own residents.

For instance, take into account the considerations 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 security of their residents, however measures taken should not undermine elementary human rights requirements. It seems that a number of the initiatives at present being mentioned or carried out could also be used to curb primary human rights and to suppress inside opposition. A number of the definitions of terrorism underneath dialogue are so broad that they may very well be used to criminalize anybody out of favor with these in energy and criminalize respectable peaceable train of the correct to freedom of expression and affiliation. They might additionally put in danger the correct to privateness and threaten the rights of minorities and asylum-seekers.

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

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

Additionally of significance, with its unfastened definition of terror, there may be concern that the struggle on terror , may also have an effect on all these working actually for peace and social justice for all, as even they are going to come underneath scrutiny for maybe appropriately criticizing insurance policies of any variety of nations and organizations around the globe, together with these from the West.

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

Again to prime

Mainstream Media

Whereas residents in all places, particularly People, have been rightly outraged on the assaults, the mainstream media has largely targeting the results, the varied aftermaths and impacts, and reporting what political leaders are doing, saying or not doing, or not saying, and so on. They’ve additionally reported immense element on a number of the points of the particular bombing in Afghanistan, and so on. As with most different conflicts in latest historical past although, whereas monumental in amount, media reporting seems comparatively missing in depth, historic context, and investigative evaluation on the causes that gasoline such outrageous militant extremism and terrorism.

The so-called vary of discourse then, is sort of slim, however inside it, protection is sort of detailed. The reporting of some points is certainly very shifting and superb. There may be, nevertheless, acceptable criticism of some extremism creeping into some points of the mainstream media as effectively, in sure circumstances. Importantly although, our vary of views can 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)

Again to prime

Will violence result in extra violence?

With all of the vivid imagery, we will solely now start to think about how different folks and societies around the globe have suffered in different conditions. With typically worse outcomes, albeit not so sudden and surprising, 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 record 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 businesses criticized the meals drops for not delivering a lot precise help and being a token gesture, somewhat than an efficient one.

Maybe one of many largest fears, voiced earlier than the retaliation began, is that retaliated violence may end in extra retaliated violence and we danger tit-for-tat violence that appears onerous 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 assorted hawkish politicians within the West asking for the equal of no mercy. Martin Luther King is price quoting:

But, how does one get out of this vicious circle? In fact it isn’t simple, and even lots of the peace motion battle 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-about. True, extra on peace-related alternate options are mentioned in TV boards and debates, however relating 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 overseas coverage entrance, even latest historical past of the final 50 years or so has been questionable by each Western leaders and Center Japanese leaders. For instance, the assist by the west of brutal leaders within the center east has contributed to an extremist backlash. Of their combat 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 provoke 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.

Again to prime

President Bush dropping the struggle on terror

Again to prime

Further articles and hyperlinks

On quite a few fronts there are lots of, 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, underneath this part on the struggle on terrorism are articles reposted from different web pages and authors from around the globe 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 Data web page is a rising assortment of hyperlinks and sources to different web pages that supply deeper views.

I don’t essentially agree with all the views of all of the hyperlinks and sources supplied, and under no circumstances are they a complete record, somewhat an instance.

A number of the extra mainstream sources focus rather more on the results and aftermaths, whereas a number of the different sources additionally provide deeper evaluation on causes in addition to ramifications around the globe. These websites have extra hyperlinks you can comply with to different web pages. Extra websites shall be added as time goes on.

Again to prime