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.

9/11

I wasn’t going to write anything about the assault on the twin towers – the ninth anniversary of anything isn’t terribly interesting – and the event looks as if it is going to be more famous for what the West did in response to it than for what actually happened. Billions of dollars spent and scores of thousands dead.

In passing, I am rather surprised that there is still nothing there, after nine years. You would have thought the traditionally industrious Americans would have thrown up a skyscraper in a matter of months. They obviously need more Chinese.

One typically daft anniversary celebration has been from the Evangelist minister who was going to burn the Koran, or several of them. Obama has predictably gone over the top, the Secretary General of the UN felt unable to remain silent, and even the normally level headed General Petraeus has said the act could endanger American troops.

I must say if I were an Afghan or Iraqi, with an occupying force in my country, and it had descended almost into lawlessness, I wouldn’t be too worried if some nutcase in their country were burning books. Other preoccupations, you see.

The minister, or pastor, is called Terry Jones, like the 1970s comedian, and is the spiritual sustenance of a congregation of about 50 in the Dove Outreach Centre of Gainesville, Florida. Jones now claims he has done a deal with a New York imam that he will not burn the Korans if they don’t set up a proposed mosque and Muslim centre near ‘Ground Zero’.

The Dove Outreach Centre doesn’t look in much better shape than Ground Zero. Part of the cross on the wall seems to have fallen off. I should have thought this an important part of the fabric of the building, and suppose it is what comes of spending all your money on Islamic literature.

Anyway, I have friends who live in the Ground Zero area and they say that the proposed site for the mosque is in a deserted alley nobody ever goes down, and that no one local gives a stuff whether there will be a mosque or a Dove Outreach Centre.

I spend a fair bit of time advising people to forget their grievances over the second world war and I now think Americans should lighten up a bit about 9/11. Let's let them have their cultural centre, and let's not spoil the valuable work of reaching out to Gainesville's doves with the smell of burning books. That smell has assocations, Terry, and they are the wrong ones for you.