photo from
almost the same vantage point,
eight years later
So, now it is eight years. Eight years since the sound and vibration of American Airlines flight 11 screaming over my building and slamming into the north tower of the World Trade Center a dozen blocks south sent me running downstairs and into the street. And it was there I stood with my neighbors and watched as all of the drama and horror of the day played out in very real time.
As I commented on a past anniversary, one of my earliest thoughts that day was that with George W. Bush in the White House, flanked by Dick Cheney and Attorney General John Ashcroft, we had about as bad a collection of leaders for that moment in history as I could possibly imagine. And for the next six anniversaries, that team did nothing to make me doubt my initial instinct.
But now, with the seventh commemoration, the eighth anniversary, I am forced by the very Constitution the Bush gang sought to destroy to contemplate something else.
It seems mundane, but thinking or saying, “This is the first post-Bush 9/11” also feels wildly momentous. But should it?
This is not going to be one of those “meet the new boss, same as the old boss,” “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose” posts; in a thousand different ways, this September 11th is different—and better different, at that. The call to make this a national day of service instead of a day of national Grand Guignol, fear mongering, and political opportunism is a small thing, but very much welcome. And there are a thousand people in a thousand different government jobs that, no matter how much they piss me off, are still better than Ashcroft, Alberto Gonzalez, Donald Rumsfeld, Michael Chertoff, Paul Wolfowitz, Porter Goss, Condoleezza Rice, Richard Perle, Doug Feith, Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, David Addington, John Yoo. . . I could go on and on before I ever needed to refer to Wikipedia.
But this is not strictly a “look at the bright side” post, either. How can it be? One can’t spend a day with emptywheel (the blog, not Marcy herself) and not grow tense and angry as Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, fail at the necessary job of rolling back the secrecy, Constitutional abuses, and mad usurpations of the previous “unitary” executive. One cannot have been working on the fight to actually reform health care without practically chewing through a lip as you watch the current wizards of Pennsylvania Avenue negotiate away any chance of actually helping the un- and underinsured, to instead benefit the Blue Dogs, the ConservaDems, and the balance sheets of Big Insurance.
Today, however, I am really wondering about something at least as troubling, and likely much more visceral. For it was on another anniversary that I wrote about something that intrudes on my thoughts on every 9/11, and on the large majority of the days in between—the blood. You can go back and read my thoughts on those lost in 2001 in the United States, and those lost in 2002, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. . . in Iraq and Afghanistan, but since this is an administration that likes to constantly insist on looking forward instead of back, lets do just that.
OK, I’m looking; are you?
Take a look at Attackerman, and see where Spencer dutifully and honorably notes the deaths of US troops in Afghanistan and Iraq practically every day. He will no doubt have to keep doing that through the next September 11. . . and I have to ask, to what end?
I am thinking today mostly about Afghanistan (though the needless debacle of Iraq that was sold to us as an adjunct to our “war on terror” should not be forgotten). Bush missed opportunities both before and after 9/11/01 to disrupt al Qaeda, to capture its leaders, to bind the world together in an effort to bring to justice the criminals that killed nearly 3,000 on US soil eight years ago—so I would assume that is still a goal. But now I also hear we are “at war” with the Taliban, that we are trying to help “stabilize” Afghanistan, train a security force, buttress a budding democracy, secure the border regions. . . again, I can go on, but I can’t tell you what we are doing. I can tell you what McChrystal says we are doing (sort of), but I can’t tell you what we are really doing.
I can tell you that military commanders are likely to ask for more—perhaps many more—troops. I can tell you that several in Congress are now saying that they will get no more troops. I can even tell you with a sort of gut surety that the end result will be more “trigger pullers” than we have deployed there now. . . and more military contractors, the miserable praetorian guard of the previous administration, will have to fill in where our support personnel have been traded out.
But I can’t tell you why. I can’t pinpoint the objective. I can’t say, we are doing “this,” so we can accomplish “this.” And I have a really bad feeling that our first post-Bush president can’t either.
And that is no way to honor our first post-Bush 9/11.
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Sounds like some of the folks on the Hill are saying no more troops to Afghanistan. Their record suggests they’ll fold if a request is made but perhaps having a spineless capitulating president (with all due respect) in the White House will provide them with additional incentive to say “No.”
Missed Opportunities are Missed Opportunities, Gregg, and we’re Missing an Opportunity now.
That would be to just pull out of our wars, and stop it. Just stop it.
Just like we didn’t want the Towers to fall as we were watching it happen. We don’t want to watch this war shit anymore.
Gregg, thanks for a very though-provoking essay. I was working in the South Bronx on 9/11/01. I walked outside after a construction worker came in and told me that the Twin Towers were burning. I saw the smoke rising like an ominous pillar in the air. Hours and hours later we delivered the last of our young charges (I was a teacher) to relatives and neighbors, some parents being buried in the rubble, others unable to return due to closed subways and bridges. The days after are a blur of numbness, grief, and sadness.
Now, 8 years later, my nephews are both preparing to head to Afghanistan to fight. Both were in school themselves that fateful day. Words are inadequate to express how that makes me feel. Pride in their duty and service to their country, fear for their safety, anger at the fact that they are even needed at this point in time.
A day of service, a life of service. May we see the fruits of our labors some day.
good evening Gregg
Defense contractors and their government lap-dogs don’t believe in coitus interruptus. They will continue to fuck the country until they are swelled and spent.
Yep.
Thanks Gregg.
Priscilla, I’m so glad you’re here now. May your nephews return safely and soon.
Well, how do we live in a world where entire countries are run by competing drug cartels, kids can’t get eyeglasses if they require them, their parents may well be illiterate, and the mothers don’t have a hospital in which to give birth?
McChrystal seems to be saying, “guns alone won’t work in this situation” because so many of the problems are not fundamentally military.
If that’s what he’s saying, then I give him points for guts and honesty.
Geez Gregg, that was depressing… But rightfully so.
Hi (((katymine))) nice to see ya.
Sincere best wishes for your nephews’ safe return.
I could go on and on before I ever needed to refer to Wikipedia.
Or Dickipedia
One can’t spend a day with emptywheel (the blog, not Marcy herself) and not grow tense and angry as Obama and his Attorney General, Eric Holder, fail at the necessary job of rolling back the secrecy, Constitutional abuses, and mad usurpations of the previous “unitary” executive.
I’ve come to the conclusion that BO has a near pathological need to be liked by everyone. Chicago Rules? My ass. He’s pathetically non-confrontational, in an era which demands a pit-bull.
Someone here put me onto Causes of War by Geoffrey Blainey, which I read a month ago. According to him, the causes of war and the causes of peace are the same. War is waged when the parties think they can accomplish more (imposing their will on others) that way than thru other methods, like negotiation, aka diplomacy. Waging peace is the reverse. So the U.S. won’t wage peace until it is definitively proved that the U.S. can’t impose its will on Afghanistan (Pakistan, Iraq, insert other relevant countries here) with soldiers and bombs. Not likely to happen anytime soon.
Exactly the right point. As on point as Keith Olbermann’s hole-in-the-ground remembrance three years ago.
I’ve been thinking lately about how 8 years passed between the 1st and 2nd WTC attacks. Unlikely that it is significant, would-be attackers are opportunists and how much time has elapsed is irrelevant but I still have a slight sense of dread.
well written, as always
We could live without the pit bull if he was a retriever instead.
He is more symbiont than anything, IMO.
Would you prefer he be more like Bushie and Dick, bullying everybody. I for one appreciate his careful, timed progress.
Ditto,
To everyone that lost someone that day–my sympathies. To all those that live with the burden of the memories of that day–I send you strength. To all those that have family or friends in the armed services–I wish them safety and give my thanks.
I don’t normally take the time to point this out, but because of the subject at hand, I am going to apologize for cutting out of the discussion early. Most might not know that by the time I post LN on Friday, I have been at the computer for nearly 15 straight hours. This week was especially draining, so I need to step away, but I want you all to know that I appreciate the time you have given this post, and I will come back over the weekend to read what you have added.
Yeah. But I don’t think he needs to bully everybody, all the time. He does, in my view, need to kick some ass in his own party on occasion (like, once, maybe) and, on occasion, tell the other side to piss off.
Thanks Gregg. Go flop.
Thanks for the great post Gregg and the food for thought. Rest well.
Obviously you gave the post time, too. Thanks. get some …. whatever you want.
What progress are you referring too? On national security he is Bush Lite, on domestic issues he is Capitulator In Chief.
But he’s a baller man!!!
Can’t argue with that. I certainly don’t appreciate him taking meetings with every major Insurance co. in the last few weeks. I’m just waiting to see the new Health Care Bill before I give up on him.
Yes.
I can push back against bullying. How do you push back against ineffectual please please like me pant pant-ing? It’s maddening.
was supposed to be a reply:
But he’s a baller man!!!
Outcome is important. Method gives some advance clue as to outcome. Neither the O outcomes, nor his methods give me any confidence. Just because O’s methods are different from W’s does not mean they will accomplish better outcomes.
Would you prefer he be more like Bushie and Dick, bullying everybody.
As a matter of fact – yes I would. Bushie and Dick, as you label them, bullied this country into second rate status with no moral legitimacy whatsoever. We have no credibility, let alone a justifiable, legitimate set of goals to recover that credibility.
With the R party reduced to a small number of mouth-breathing, semi-illiterate jackasses – yes I do wish that he would just proceed as if they don’t exist – more importantly that they don’t matter.
Do the right things – full speed ahead – and let the crackers cry to Rush and Beck.
If he were to intact all his visions in the first year, we would absolutely be in a civil war. Just look at the absolute Hate on the far right.
One test for me is: Would x occupant every even consider invading Iraq?
I know it is a small metric NOW, but I consider myself lucky that O would not have.
Bush – if you didn’t see that he was itching to invade well before he was ‘elected,’ then you weren’t paying attention.
OK. I appreciate you honesty and my reactive side agrees with you. But reaction got us where we are and I want my President to be thoughtful, careful and inclusive.
McChrystal apparently asked for the moon so rather than his policy review being passed through quickly there is a big debate going on in the Administration. The problem here is one that is becoming increasingly typical of Obama. He farmed out the policy creation to McChrystal but policy is in fact Obama’s responsibility and McChrystal is supposed to craft the strategy to achieve the policy goals.
So we actually have two problems. First, there is no policy. And secondly, the wrong people were tasked with coming up with one.
Now there is a third problem because Obama has to walk back McChrystal’s policy recommendations without pening himself up to Republican criticism. In this sense, the Congressional calls for no more troops are probably not incidental since they give him the needed cover to reduce McChrystal’s demands.
If Obama weren’t relying on the a bunch of Clinton era hasbeens, he could have avoided a lot of this policy snafu and realized that Afghanistan is always going to be a corrupt fractious mess, that the warlords that we support are not that much different from a lot of the Taliban we oppose, that bin Laden, Zawahiri, and al Qaeda have had safe havens outside of Afghanistan for the last 8 years so the argument that Afghanistan could become one for them again does not hold a lot of water.
Fair enough. But the invasion of Iraq is history. What is O doing for us now that is any different from what W would be doing? O’s first major foreign policy move was to launch the third U.S. war against an Islamic country (via puppet, as if that mattered), creating another 2 million refugees. Not ‘xactly something I’m proud of my country for doing.
Bush – if you didn’t see that he was itching to invade well before he was ‘elected,’ then you weren’t paying attention.
A small quibble: Go back to the PNAC 2000 document; Bush is not a signatory (though his brother was), thought the document itself very clearly advocates invasion of Iraq.
Now as to damn near everybody else in the Bush administration – yep – names signed prominently.
‘Course, Bush was never meant to have any actual power or input…
I agree. It is cold comfort indeed.
Thanks for this Gregg. So many fresh hells, but always soldiers dying daily. But they are all linked by the same corporate-aggrandizing, non-empathetic, power vs. cooperation, exceptionalism mind set.
I remember after 9/11 (was in NYC but out of harm’s way) I prayed Bush would rise to the profound occasion. I hoped with little evidence he could. We were a nation traumatized and he was the elected leader.
And instead they followed the diabolical recipe for shock and awe exploitation. And though Bushco is gone, the status quo military and corporate machines steamroll onward, amorally, relentlessly, ruthlessly.
The policy is that the U.S. should not lose another war.
Maliki seems to have bailed the U.S. out of losing Iraq. He seems to have masterly manipulated all the competing forces, leaving him in power and getting the U.S. out.
As for Afghanistan, like VN, there is no legitimate govt. But for O, that is the “real” war. So now we are back to Af-Pak as the new U.S. VN.
But reaction got us where we are and I want my President to be thoughtful, careful and inclusive.
I’m right there with you – with the exception of the word “inclusive”. I see no need to get any kind of approval from the same sycophants, fools and knaves that got us into this mess.
As a matter of honor, they must be shunned.
Say it together now…
“Bush was never meant to have any actual power or input.”
Some should indeed be shunned. Joe Wilson should be shunned. Anyone who supports him should be shunned.
Best to you.
Our buying off the Sunni insurgents is what quieted Iraq down but all of the faultlines are still there. Maliki is a hardline Shi’ite nationalist who is trying to increase the power of the weak central government. We have yet to begin any serious withdrawal from Iraq, another Obama campaign promise broken.
And again for Afghanistan there is simply no policy.
Speaking of continuity :
Court dismisses Iraqi contractor torture case
Source: Reuters
By James Vicini James Vicini – Fri Sep 11, 1:53 pm ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A federal appeals court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against two U.S. defense contractors by Iraqi torture victims, saying the companies had immunity as government contractors.
The lawsuit was filed in 2004 on behalf of Iraqi nationals who say they or their relatives had been tortured or mistreated while detained by the U.S. military at the Abu Ghraib prison.
The plaintiffs sued CACI International Inc, which provided interrogators at Abu Ghraib, and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc’s Titan unit, which provided interpreters to the U.S. military.
By a 2-1 vote, the appellate panel found the two companies had government contractor immunity and the claims were preempted, based on a 1992 U.S. Supreme Court ruling and other precedents in the national security and foreign policy areas.
Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/200…..q_c…
Obama can be inclusive and the conservatives will rant and foam at the mouth or he can fight for what is right and conservatives will rant and foam at the mouth. Both tactics might fail in the end but at least with the latter you fought the good fight.
Trouble is, I have seen little evidence that Obama even knows what is right and less that he would fight for it.
On that positive note I bid you adieu.
Not to mention, the blast walls, a key to keeping Iraq’s citizens from getting at each other, are coming down.
Just thanks. Good things to think about for a west coaster.
Dang, I take a phone call for a while and, whoops, there gooes RF!
Good night RF! Hope to see you again soon!
Capitol Hill….the no spine zone.
antiwar.com has had a number of interviews with people who have tended to get it right that the U.S. will be leaving Iraq after the Jan elections. Cockburn & McGovern are two of the names I remember. They both assert that the SOFA will prevail. Cockburn and another, can’t remember who, say that Maliki is a master manipulator. U.S. wouldn’t leave were it not for him. Suspect that Maliki will be a dictator, but at least that appearance of a U.S. loss has been averted. Or so they say. I’m willing to give these analysts the benefit of the doubt until after the elections. In any event, this was a W “accomplishment” not an O one.
As for Af-Pak, the policy is not losing. O has no clue how to accomplish that. He’s so green, he’s dripping behind the ears. His only tactic is rhetoric about the good war, which is now falling on deaf ears. But WTH does he care, since congress will underwrite whatever he asks for as long as he asks.
Maliki may be reconsidering that, since their deconstruction seems to have been unproductive.
I agree. Everyone (smart!) says that Obama must come up with a plan or all of the earth will burn, but I still wonder whether stressing a good plan wouldn’t win him more that the current proposals. I wonder what would happen if he just cried UNCLE and asked Americans to give him a better congress…
Beg to differ. Rs have plenty of spine, even in retreat.
O has just the congress he wants: power in the hands of Rs and Blue Dogs.
Build a dam and expecting the water to just sit there when you bust it?
That was a catastrophic tactic, born of panic, and doomed.
Creates time for Maliki to ethnically cleanse the Sunnis. It’s worked before.
I don’t know how to phrase this – it’s not really snark. But lacking the helicopter gunships AND the blast walls, Malaki better get to it quick.
W would probably be in his high chair wearing his bib. Cheney would be feeding him strained peas while speaking with Addington on the secure phone.
Apparently not enough spine to actually have ever served in the military, or in theaters of war, with a few rare exceptions .
The theater of the absurd that the Congressscritters and their enablers engage in is not so much about spine,imho, but about diabolical determination.
Scratch a bully and find a coward,methinks.
I’m getting a 404 on your link.
Don’t know enough to counter that. Only observe that Maliki has manipulated the 3 dimensional chess brilliantly so far.
The R battlefield in not the war zone, it’s D.C.
Scratch a bully and find a coward,methinks.
Oh, go ahead and name names.
Richard.
Bruce.
Cheney.
(just tryin’ to help, ya know) *g*
How’s your son doing, jayt?
Hope this works:
Boston Globe US court dismisses Iraqi contractor torture case – 10 hours ago
By James Vicini WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Reuters) – A federal appeals court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit against two US defense contractors by Iraqi torture …Reuters – 580 related articles »
I’m concerned there is no plan, unless policy=plan.
Thank you…I can always rely on the kindness of strangers….(((blush)))
thanks.
I was #1 flight attendant for American Airlines that morning on a Flight that paralleled United’s flight ..we took off right in front of UAL 93 out of Newark..they usually went first but they were a bit delayed.
In 2001 I was honored with being a Flight Attendant of the year for my airline for the entire NY base , of JFK, LGA and EWR.
It was a nightmare..and continues as such for me every day.
Two of My neighbors lost their children that day, and many were victims from my hometown.
As I watched this morning the names of my co-workers and neighbors kids and parents from my sons school and people I grew up with,and even my supervisors nephew’s name scroll by on the TV screen..and tears streamed down my face..I wondered..who will do a memorial for those family memebers and neighbors and friends who had their lives needlessly ended in Iraq and Afganistan??????? Lives snuffed out for greed..and lies and deciet..
who cries for those lost souls???????
and do we give a damn???????
I just wonder..and they live in the hell hole we created for them.
And I get angry all over again..and I hurt to my gut.
Great! Both Indiana University (with their top-ten business school) and West Point are trying to get him to jump from active duty (something called “Green To Gold”) to come to their place. Come next June, if he doesn’t deploy (and he isn’t scheduled to) he’ll be safely in school somewhere.
If he goes West Point though, he’s locked into 5 years of active service before he can go back for his Master’s – if he goes to IU, he can, upon finishing the undergrad, go into the Reserves or Guard, and go straight through to grad school for the MBA.
Two excellent choices – no loser there.
Thanks for asking!
Aloha Ya’ll from the Mtn.top…! Happy Patriot Day…!
CTut! – long time man – how are things?
That’s awesome, jayt…! Is he favoring one particular avenue…?
Could always be doing better, but, doing alright…! ;-)
ES has LLN on tap upstairs…!
I worked on Camp Pendleton on 9/11/2001. I mean I would have, but the sentries were totally closed. The school was entirely shut down for the day.
Fantastic news! Proud daddy for good reason.
Oh yeah – he wants his MBA – the kid has a new idea every day (which is a bit of a problem *g*)
he *should* go for IU’s joint MBA/JD program – that damn kid is way smarter than me – can even out-argue me (which is kind of my job).
If we can get him headed in one, good direction, he’s gonna be great. The Army has been great for him. When he crosses the county line back into Indianapolis for short leaves, he goes right back into the old habits. He’s been great in the Army though – taking on extra duty – staying scrupulously straight, watching the career path carefully, etc.
Best thing that ever happened for him (’course he wanted to do it since he was about 12). He’s bummed that he evidently won’t be able to go down-range, but that has to do with where he’s assigned – he’s trying to game it, but everybody knows he’s leaving for school relatively soon….
anyway, things are great – he’s cleaned up his act big time, and people have noticed.
Haven’t read comments but Greg:
Love yer post.
I think it’s evident the rule of the oligarchy is predominant.
I think it’s clear we’re all screwed.
The level of being screwed is dependent upon your wealth.
And STILL they want our dollars, us poor people.
911 is all about a faux screwing, today is all about the reality of us being fucked.
When the country wakes up to the fact that we were FUCKED, and are being fucked, I’ll be fuckin amazed.
Till then?
We’re fucked. Plain, simple, and pure true.
Love yer writing, but it’s over.
We’re fucked, or we save ourselves.
Time to end the rhetoric. Time to save ourselves.
When will ya write about our saving, Greg?
Just sayin.
When will anyone write about our saving?
Cuz we’re dyin out here Greg, with no jobs, incomes, healthcare, or housing.
We’re dyin. The masses. WE is dying.
And history sez, when the gap is too big, shit happens.
When will you write about that, Greg? Or anyone?
Just askin. Thanks for all you do.
I lived close to that neck of the woods many years ago..Mission Viejo..
If you search for connectivity, I’m sure it’s there.
Not the first time our own set us up for war, and chaos, for profit.
We toppled the Taliban with near unanimous domestic support and we don’t want to leave when they are resurgent. That’s why we’re staying. You can always ask, ‘To what end?’ one more time a la a three year old’s “Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? …” But it doesn’t get us anywhere. It’s perfectly fine to dismiss the rationale that is given as insufficient, but it’s clear enough what it is. Accept it or reject it, but don’t pretend it doesn’t exist.
Also, at this point the Afghanistan campaign really does have little to do with 9/11, it’s true. Rather, it has to do with finishing what we start and not abandoning a people for whom we took responsibility. It’s more than fair to question the costs, benefits, and values of that reasoning. Yes, we went there in response to 9/11, but we took responsibility for the country at that time, and now that, not the attacks, is what it is about. It’s actually a non sequitur at this point to raise the Afghanistan in a 9/11 remembrance piece, though that’s obviously your prerogative.
Alexander the Great thought he had responsibility for the Afghan people, too, but they showed him.
Not sure that he did, but you’re right that they showed him.
Ah.
Obviously this is some new definition of the verb ‘to reject’ of which I’ve been previously unaware. Thanks for the vocabulary development.
I don’t follow. What new definition do I offer of ‘to reject’?
Objective: War Profits US #1 arms sales worldwide needs unending conflict.
Means: Fear Mass trauma watching the US attacked while defenseless after spending billions on defense.
Method: Violence against the others,unrestrained killing over there by those selected to heartlessly snuff out others with no remorse.
Result: A economic and moral collapse by refusing to reign in those who profit from and get their jollies from this random subjection of others.
Is America great because we devise the greatest automated murder machines ever dreamed up and are always looking for a proving ground where we can show the rest of the world our savagery in using this junk?
Wonder why we’re bankrupt,fear.
We can benefit Afghan’s with books and education, you will never defeat the Taliban completely, their ideology is what we are fighting and you don’t fight ideologies with bullets. A war will never ever be won there, no one else in history has ever succeeded in doing that.
There is a great book that illustrates my point: Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson, a mountain climber who started building schools, the first one built was in Korphe, Pakistan.
Killing people, killing the Taliban just results in more complicated and ever increasing violence and in the end we won’t be any farther down the road than we are now.
Yea Mike, Teddy is right, Alexander gave up on Afghanistan, he left some administrators there and declared victory. Study history the answers are there.
And let me reiterate, no one has ever defeated Afghanistan in the first place and our war there is not one designed to defeat them, in fact I don’t think anyone has a clear purpose for our being there.