When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 183 planes destroyed most of the American battleship force that had been stationed there months earlier as a deterrent to Japan’s aggressive expansion in the Pacific. They also had submarines in waiting to torpedo any ships trying to get away.
This was a well executed assault requiring tens of thousands of Japanese civilians and military personnel. We were attacked by a country with a real army, navy, air force, and industrial complex.The Germans were the European version of Japan as they marched through Europe hoping to conquer Great Britain and beyond.
Five years ago today 19 guys from the Middle East, with the help of, say 50 others (that’s being generous) behind the scenes, were able to commandeer four jet liners and wreck havoc. The details of these Arabs’ travels reminds me more of these characters then a worthy opponent. For instance, they did not have money to pay the tolls on the MassPike. Great planning. These guys were part of the same gang that tried to take down the towers years earlier. It didn’t work, and they were later caught because the rented truck they used to pack the explosives in was rented using real names and addresses. Geniuses.
Hijacking a plane then was not too difficult. A knife of some sort, which probably could fit naturally on a key change, was the weapon they used. Most hijackings up until that time did not result in death to all passengers. Never before was a passenger plane used in a suicide mission. So the correct protocol was to do what the hijackers wanted. Odds were highly favorable that the passengers and crew would survive. That did not happen.
Within days we gave our President war powers and “bailed out” the airline industry. Evidently the airlines completely fall apart if they are shut down for more than 12 hours. Who’d a thunk?
And Rudy Giuliani suddenly became an expert on terrorism. (To me that is like saying my grandmother is an expert on cardio vascular medicine because she had bypass surgery.)
We bombed the hell out of a country and sent in a large number of ground forces. They are still there. Why? Because the terrorists knew some people running Afghanistan.
(Oh, and now the Taliban is producing heroin at a record pace to sell to Americans and finance their efforts. Charley, you’re a Medford resident and heroin is huge in your town. You will be seeing more. If you recall, prior to 9/11 The Taliban stopped heroin production. Against their religion or something.)
And of course, our government also gave us the Patriot Act. Did we really need that? Didn’t we have enough information to stop these guys before it happened? We knew that they were taking flying lessons but were not interested in learning to land or take-off. We never investigated that. The famed FBI agent John O’Neill had solid evidence that something was up. His pleas were ignored.
So why do we need the Patriot Act? We have the laws already, we just need competent people to execute them.
For the past five years we are all suppose to be afraid. Scared. Worried. The Republicans tell us to be scared. The Democrats tell us to be afraid. Why even Jarrett Barrios wants us to crap our pants whenever we take a ride on the subway.
I’m not buying it. And I never did.
Evidently we are all suppose to turn over our rights as citizens when we hear the word terrorism. And people expect this country to be terrorist full proof. Ridiculous.
I love these public service advertisements that advise to have a plan in case of a terrosit attack. What? Tell my kids what? Go to a neighbor? The same thing we tell them to do in any emergency. What else do we tell them? These are the same people that ran public service messages telling us that smoking a joint helps the terroists. Whatever happened to credibility?
Give me 12 kids (actually two would probably do) from any vocational high school, a few dollars, and a little imagination. There are thousands of things a person could do. Regardless of what defenses are in place.
Why hasn’t there been any attacks since? Sure there may be another big one planned by a small group of people. But where are the independent free-lance Muslim nuts. One would expect at least a small bombing or two. Something by a few true believers. But we have had noithing.
I ask you, do the facts call for A WAR?
I say no.
Shit Happens!
Don’t you get it Ernie, be afraid, be very afraid. Fear has been used by despots since time immemorial. Hitler used it, Stalin used it, the Ayatollah used it. Why do you think that the US military passed the ball to the Aghan forces when they had Osama or Usama or Obama (whatever his name is) holed up in some crap filled cave at Tora Bora? The Boogeyman is not scary unless he is under your bed or in your closet.
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Jarrett Barrios seems to be afraid of many things so I would not put much weight on his warnings about the MBTA. Now, his warning on Fluffernutters is another thing. That sandwich is public enemy number 1.
Herakles,
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Barrios is not installing fear at all. The report released last week is valid and raises several areas of concern. Are you saying that it is too much to ask that the T be able to communicate underground in case of an attack? Is it too much to ask that the MBTA have trainings in deep tunnel rescue, which they haven’t, in case something happened in one of our tunnels?
‘Shit happens” is a disgraceful comment when talking about ANYONE’s grief. Don’t you think it’s the teeniest bit possible that someone who lost a friend or loved one in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks reads this site?
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The fact that others have exploited those deaths for their own crass political purposes, isn’t an excuse to be so callous. Of course it’s true that there’s a great deal of suffering and tragedy in the world, and many other people suffer excruciatingly difficult losses. But “shit happens” is an appalling way to state it.
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And by the way, I know plenty of people who lost more than “a” someone in the attacks. I know people who spent the weeks after Sept. 11, 2001 going from funeral to funeral to funeral to funeral to funeral.
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Finally, keep in mind for just a minute that people who lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 attacks have to keep hearing about it and seeing it, over and over and over. Their personal grief has been exploited, turned into political shorthand and is endlessly replayed. If I’d had to see the car accident that killed my friend over and over endlessly on TV for the past 5 years, yes, I do believe it would have caused me added pain. More or less pain than the loved one of a soldier killed in Iraq? I’ve got no idea. Everyone responds to grief differently. But I do know that “my heart goes out to the families” and “shit happens” are not compatible statements. If you wouldn’t say “shit happens” to the face of someone still grieving over their loss in the terrorist attacks, then may I suggest you don’t post it on a public forum where such people might read it, either.
But the diary wasn’t written with victims’ families as intended audience. Rather for the people who are still paying the price. Like us. I apologize to any family members that have stumbled across my humble opinion on the 9/11 hysteria which has been corrupted by lunatics followed by opportunists.
Sorry. See explanation where paragraph previoulsy was.
I understand you weren’t addressing your remarks toward those who lost loved ones, and were just trying to express your frustration at how their tragedy has been exploited and misused by others. Thanks for understanding that such public remarks could be seen by anyone. I know a lot of people who were personally affected that day. I appreciate you making the change.