Six years

September 11, 2007.

Six years since America lost its innocence and more than 3,000 lives as the world watched in horror and sympathy.

Six years of fear and hate-mongering and war in the name of God and justice.

Six years of “holy” men quoting scriptures into cameras while paving the path to pursue selfish agendas.

Six years since we began scrambling for answers and strategies and understanding and peace.

Six years of war—of death, destruction, brokenness, and victories that look more like failures.

Six years of lives lost and shattered, innocent and not-so-innocent victims staining the ground with their blood. Families pulled apart, dreams lost, and hopes sunk in a quagmire of questions and misinformation, blind faith and good intentions.

Six years since we used fear and patriotic slogans to undermine our Constitution and justify wire-tapping, invasions of privacy, blacklisting, illegal detentions, torture, cruelty, and a slew of human rights violations.

Some disasters have been averted, but at what cost?

We can’t begin to measure what we’ve lost as a country, what our military families have sacrificed, what our citizens have relinquished in a misguided belief that the world is a better place because of our policies.

On the evening of September 11, 2001, I didn’t see how things could get worse.

Now I do.

September 11, 2007

Comments

[Peter]

I found Michael Moore's fahrenheit911
(http://www.fahrenheit911.com) a most comprehensive "let's try to explain this insanity " movie.

The tragic fact remains that even after a US withdrawal out of Irak, much of the Bush-induced rape of the US constitution will continue, no matter who gets elected.

"Dying for oil" is not new at all, but the massive spin to cover the invasions of privacy, blacklisting, illegal detentions, torture, cruelty, and a slew of human rights violations must be one of the most elaborate in US history.

Facing the untold suffering they've caused, I wonder how this administration can look in the mirror without disgust.

[Expat-CIT]

I have no answers or political comments, only prayers for all of us to coexist in peace.

[TB]

Thank you for having the courage to write this. I find when I write something political, I don't get much response. I'm not sure why. But it makes me worry that we as a country will not find what it takes to make the changes that desperately need to be made.

[furiousBall]

It's so sad how our already fear based society has turned it up to 11 since that day six years ago. Fear is why W was reelected. Fear is why we are still in Iraq.

[polysci]

The fear that keeps the US in Iraq is a healthy fear -- the world needs a leader. True leaders must take risks to do the right thing. If the US does not take an international leadership role, who will? Quietly, much of the world supports the US in Iraq. Many countries can't deal internally with providing public support. There is no country in the world, like it or not, with the political. moral, military, and diplomatic might of the US. They may not always use their strengths correctly, but there is no other country that even comes close.
Who will clean up the mess that is left if the US leaves Iraq? Who will keep the Islamic fundamentalists from reaching their goals? Remember, most Americans think only in the short term. Terrorists have very long-term goals....if it takes them a generation or two, or more to reach their goal, it's OK.


The "rape" of the US constitution can never be blamed on one person, or one party. There is a reason there are three branches of government, for checks and balances. The problems with the constitution signify a much larger problem with how each branch of government is doing or NOT doing what is required of them by the constitution.

[CB]

polysci, how do you define terrorists and terrorism? When one country, whether they have the singular "political. moral, military, and diplomatic might" of the US or not, bombs,invades and occupies a sovereign country based on lies and manipulation of intelligence (WMDs, Niger uranium forgeries, Downing Street memos, etc....), resulting in the violent deaths of over 600,000 citizens and one of the worst humanitarian disasters this world has ever witnessed in the victimized country, is the offending country in essence not committing and supporting terrorism? What do you do when your leaders are the terrorists, when they're committing war crimes and violating international treaties and laws, when the people of the world, by the millions, take to the streets and scream with one voice "No War. Stop the insanity!" only to be arrogantly snubbed by Commander in Chief Tumbleweed with "You're lucky you have the freedom to speak your mind."? (I too can ask pointed questions, Rummy.) You demand IMPEACHMENT!

[Nance]

U.S. Deaths Confirmed By The DoD: 3762
Reported U.S. Deaths Pending DoD Confirmation: 12
Total 3774
DoD Confirmation List as of 9-11-2007
http://icasualties.org/oif/

Wrong war, wrong time.

The architect of September 11 is still out there. On March 13,2002, Bush said this about Osama bin Laden:
"You know, I just don't spend that much time on him...I don't know where he is.I truly am not that concerned about him."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html

I will always remember.

[polysci]

CB and others

One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter...

I did not comment on what put the US in Iraq, only on staying there. Please note my comment "may not always use their strengths correctly"... The US can't change what's already been done, but the US leadership (all branches) can be thoughtful about the best way to proceed

The "one voice" you hear hasn't been millions, and is only the perspective of the mass media...read some different perspectives in the foreign media, from think tanks (conservative and liberal), from University scholars...

If impeachment is warranted, why hasn't Congress listened to those demands and done something about it? Back to my comment about the roles and responsibilites of each branch of government...

[CB]

Yes, millions: http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/protestphotos.html

And yes, Congress is to blame for swallowing the lies, but let's not forget who told them.

[CB]

The movement for impeachment appears to be more than a fad:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movement_to_impeach_George_W._Bush#Rationales_for_impeachment

[polysci]

CB -
Your millions, is defined by a photo, by one source. Who did the head count? Was it unbiased? How many people were there just to say "I was there" or out of curiousity? My point is simple, as informed citizens, multiple media sources, from multiple ideologies, are required to gain a full perspective of a situation.

An often overlooked point -- the former US President also believed much the same information the current President presented to the US Congress. Congress did not have to agree. Again, if the US government as a whole was working properly, there are checks and balances....perhaps the conversation today would be very different.

[jazz]

Here is a Dutchman's thoughts
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118126697338428618.html

[V-Grrrl]

As long as there are people willing to engage their minds and raise their voices, I'm hopeful for democracy.

Thanks y'all.

[Tonya]

Ah yes, but what would Iraq be without us? All the news shows is the bad stuff. When I was there I found individual Iraqis to be friendly, extremely hospitable, and HAPPY that we were there. The ones who worked for the US were always in danger of being hurt or killed by the "bad" ones, but they went out of their way on a daily basis to assist us.
Once, I gave a "fitar" to a little Iraqi boy who worked on our base and was beat up by people trying to get his father and him to NOT work on base. The next day, the father had his little boy back in the office, with the envelope that had the $$ in it. He thought there must be some mistake and wanted to make sure his son hadn't gotten the money by mistake. With the incredible amount of need there, they were honest enough to try to return the $ in case it was a mistake. They were very happy to learn they could keep it. I don't know, I just think being there and actually seeing mud villages and those little kids so eager to see us sort of makes it different. I'm not saying 9/11 didn't F-UP my life, because it did. But, I can't say it was pointless, either.

[polysci]

Tonya
Thank you for sharing your experience and thank you for your service.

[polysci]

V-Grrl
Thank you for providing a forum to express our thoughts