9/11

As everyone in the world, I suppose, already knows, this is the tenth anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. It changed the world, mainly but not exclusively for the worse.

At the time, America had not suffered from terrorism and there was an uncharitable but understandable view current after 9 / 11 that it was probably better for all of us that they now had some experience of it. Something like 3,000 people died in the attacks, almost as many as died in the Northern Ireland ‘Troubles’, which had in part been encouraged by American politicians such as Ted Kennedy. Still, the ‘Troubles’ lasted thirty years whilst 9/11 happened in a few minutes.

It was shocking not just for the loss of life but for its symbolic importance. The Word Trade Centre was a totem of America’s economic might, in the heart of its chief city. There was a feeling that nothing would ever be safe any more.

The Second Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan would probably not have happened without 9/11, and the N. Ireland Troubles would not have been nearly so bad if the Americans had known what terror attacks on the civilian population was like. I don’t think, though, that it pays to dwell on these things.

The projection of power after 9/11 was so quick and so unsuccessful that we can say that those few minutes ten years ago have made the world doubt the use of military intervention. That might, I suppose, be a good thing.

One strange development was the extraordinary attitude of the British and European Left, who professed that America had somehow deserved this. I think you have to be a pretty strange person to adopt this view, although the Guardian newspaper and the BBC portrayed it as normal.

Lastly we have the conspiracy theorists, who have had a good ten years. A short trawl of the internet can reveal that George Bush organised the bombings so he would have an excuse for a war; that Israel was in fact behind it, following the false rumour that no Jews died in the blasts, or that Dick Cheney wanted an excuse to clamp down on civil liberties. They are the only light relief in the whole sorry business.