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9/11: Causes, Repercussions and Consequences
Archived Articles
2003
Back to Current Articles | 2003 |2002 | 2001 9/11 Chair: Attack Was Preventable (December 17, 2003)
A former Republican governor of New Jersey appointed by the George Bush administration blames the White House for failing to avert the attacks of September 11 2001. (CBS)Did Bush Know Before 9/11? (November 14, 2003)
The White House prohibits access to crucial Presidential Daily Briefing notes, obstructing the commission studying the causes of the September 11 attacks from accomplishing a complete analysis. (Toronto Star)How We Denied Democracy to the Middle East (November 8, 2003)
Robert Fisk argues that the West created and endorsed the lack of freedom in the Middle East. (Independent)Homeland Imperialism: Fear and Resistance (August-July, 2003)
Professor Bernardine Dohrn argues that since September 11, the Bush administration has built an empire on the cultivation of fear. The author encourages worldwide resistence to the curtailing of civil liberties in the "homeland" and the "imperial projects" carried out abroad. (Monthly Review)Graham Alleges a 9/11 'Coverup' (May 12, 2003)
US Senator Bob Graham has accused the Bush administration of engaging in a “coverup” of intelligence failures before and after the September 11 attacks. The Senator also said the war on Iraq had increased the terrorist threat from al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups. (Los Angeles Times)White House Refuses to Release Sept. 11 Info (May 5, 2003)
The Bush administration and US intelligence agencies are blocking the release of sensitive information about the 9/11 attacks, arguing that information must be kept secret for national security reasons. (Miami Herald)The Secrets of September 11 (April 30, 2003)
Bush administration intelligence officials have refused to publicly disclose many of the most significant conclusions of a congressional report. The report details the intelligence and law-enforcement failures that preceded the 9/11 attacks. (Newsweek)The Final Secret of 9/11 (April 28, 2003)
The White House uses 9/11 as a rationale for a policy of perpetual war and encroachment of US constitutionally-guaranteed liberties. Yet the Bush administration denies US citizens the truth about what happened on September 11. (Antiwar.com)The Silence about September 11 (April 21, 2003)
Twenty months after 9/11 the Bush administration has still not come up with an explanation of the attacks, except for 'Evildoers who hate our freedom.' William Rivers Pitt discusses the US’s role in empowering the Taliban in the 1970s and the Bush administration’s pipeline project that ultimately provoked the Taliban to unleash Osama bin Laden upon the US. (Truthout)First Public Hearing of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the US (March 31, 2003)
Mindy Kleinberg, widow of Alan Kleinberg who was killed in the WTC on September 11, 2001, asks the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the US to investigate the failure of US authorities and institutions to prevent the 9/11 attacks.The Palace of the End (March 4, 2003)
This Guardian article maintains that September 11 was an attack on morality. Who, on September 10 would have thought that Western media would soon talk about the pros and cons of using torture on captured "enemy combatants"?Bush Plays Up Our Vulnerability (February 11, 2003)
By using rhetoric full of factual errors, US President George W. Bush plays up US vulnerability. The president has frequently stated that after 9/11, oceans no longer protect the US from external danger, forgetting that air travel has connected the US to the world across the oceans since Charles Lindbergh flew across the Atlantic in 1927. (Progressive)Meet the New Boss (January 17, 2003)
This Freezerbox article criticizes the nomination of Tom Kean to head the panel investigating the 9/11 attacks. As the director of Amerada Hess, a petroleum company with investments in the Caspian Sea region, Kean does business with Mohammed Hussein al Amoudi and Khalid bin Mahfouz, both alleged financers of al-Qaeda.The United States of America Has Gone Mad (January 15, 2003)
In one of the greatest tricks of history, Washington has deflected US anger from Osama bin Laden to Saddam Hussein. Thanks to the 9/11 attacks the Bush administration has managed to avoid explaining the eroding of civil liberties in the US and its support of Israel in its continuing disregard for UN resolutions. (Times, London)Try Clearer Thinking about “Terrorists” (January 14, 2003)
A retired US diplomat says the Bush administration lost its way in the war on terrorism when it started to seek justification for all its political and economic actions in the “fact” that the US was “at war.” Moreover, to explain why the US was attacked on September 11, Washington has only provided “simpleminded clichés” like “because they hate freedom.” (International Herald Tribune)
2002
Back to Current Articles | 2003 |2002 | 2001 Security in the Post 9/11 World (December 30, 2002)
The Bush administration’s militaristic security tactics in the post 9/11 world will not diminish the terrorist threat. A new approach to security must involve reversing world inequality and guaranteeing human rights for all. (Nuclear Age Peace Foundation)Kissinger Steps Down as Chairman of 9/11 Panel (December 13, 2002 )
One day after insisting that his business interests would not conflict with his duties as chairman of the panel investigating the 9/11 attacks, Henry Kissinger resigned from his post under pressure to reveal the identity of his clients. (Associated Press)The Bagman Cometh (December 4, 2002)
This truthout article discusses the Bush administration’s and Kissinger’s involvement in Unocal’s pipeline project in Afghanistan before September 11 and how this project could have provoked a pre-emptive strike from the Taliban and al-Qaeda on September 11.Want a Cover-Up Expert? Kissinger's Your Man (December 3, 2002)
It seems impossible to find a less appropriate person to head an investigation of the 9/11 attacks than Henry Kissinger. Not only does he have a long history of “concealing and distorting the truth in the name of national security,” he has also been personally involved in the politics of the Mideast. (Los Angeles Times)Ashcroft's Narco-Terror War (November 11, 2002)
After September 11, 2001, the US government shifted funds from counter-narcotics struggles to the war on terrorism. Now, in an effort to revive the war on drugs, Attorney General John Ashcroft declares, "The war on terrorism has been joined with the war on illegal drug use." (FindLaw)Gore Vidal Claims 'Bush Junta' Complicit in 9/11 (October 27, 2002)
The author Gore Vidal claims that the Bush government used the terrorist attacks as a pretext to invade Afghanistan and crack down on civil liberties in the US. (Observer)Human Rights Take a Backseat in the 'War on Terrorism' (October 27, 2002)
Human Rights Watch says the Russian government uses the 9/11 attacks and their aftermath to justify Russia's human rights violations in Chechnya. (Yellow Times)Pessimism About War on Terrorism Highest Since Sept. 11 (October 21, 2002)
This Gallup News Service Poll shows that US citizens have become more pessimistic about the war on terrorism. President Bush's job approval rating has slipped to 62%, the lowest since the terrorist attacks of September 11.Terror Slur Threatens Somali Cash Lifeline (October 18, 2002)
The United States froze the assets of many Somali money transfer agencies after September 11, accusing them of supporting terrorists. However, the UN argues that disrupting the flow of money from Somali immigrants in the US to their families in war-torn Somalia could lead to a humanitarian disaster. (BBC)FBI Falls Short in Assessing Threats to US (October 2, 2002)
A US Justice Department audit finds the FBI failing in assessing terrorist threats to the US and describes the FBI's counter-terrorism program as “a broad array of shortcomings.” (Los Angeles Times)September 11, 2002 (September, 2002)
The attacks on September 11, 2001 forced US citizens to realize that they have more in common with people around the world than they had ever imagined. The events, together with other historical landmarks, turned the inconceivable into real. (Project Syndicate)Sept 11 Forced NGOs To Confront New Challenges (September 20, 2002)
In Afghanistan, the US military undertook humanitarian initiatives “on the basis of military or political expediency, not on the basis of need” and forced NGOs to remain in the capital. In order to address real needs, NGOs must reach an agreement with the military about how to deliver aid during a crisis. (Reuters AlertNet)Global Injustice Hurts Development (September 20, 2002)
Post 9/11 curbs on civil liberties, visa restrictions and intolerance to criticism undermine civil society’s efforts to promote sustainable development. (Mail & Guardian)US Received Warnings of “Airplanes As Weapons” (September 18, 2002)
A US intelligence investigation presents information on received threats of “airplanes as weapons” before the attacks on September 11. The report contradicts earlier statements by the Bush Administration and raises questions regarding the government’s sharing of information. (Washington Post)Seven Surprises on the First Anniversary of September 11th (September/October, 2002)
Foreign Policy outlines changes in US and World politics during the last year. The article discusses issues like military superiority and national security, Bush’s election promise of moral clarity, and Saddam Hussein as the next victim of September 11.To Avoid Another Sept. 11, US Must Join the World (September 11)
The US should fight terrorism by participating in international organizations and multilateral treaties that advocate peace and social equality. Instead, Washington has chosen not to join the ICC, to withdraw from the ABM treaty, and not to ratify the land mines treaty, leaving the US in the company of Iraq, Iran and North Korea, Bush's "axis of evil." (Knight Ridder Tribune)Terror In the Shadow of the Cold War (September 11, 2002)
This article argues that the events on September 11 derive from the new world order that emerged at the end of the Cold War. According to the author, the world did not change in 2001 but rather in 1989. (International Relations and Security Network)Swallowing the Official Line (September 10, 2002)
The US devotes huge efforts to prove its official version of the events on September 11. This account ignores the links to the strategic oil partner, Saudi Arabia, and makes it easier to blame both bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. (Moscow Times)The aftermath of September 11 (August 28, 2002)
The war against terrorism cannot be won without fighting its breeding grounds. Instead of waging war and reducing liberties, focus should be on undermining the power of criminal finance and fighting poverty and inequality. (Attac)September 11, One Year Later: A World of Change (August 18, 2002)
Policy Brief discusses the real changes in world politics since the attacks on September 11. It examines areas such as globalization, the creation of new allies and enemies, and the future of politics.The Conspiracy Theory That Wouldn't Die (August 16, 2002)
Addressing left-leaning conspiracy theories surrounding diplomatic meetings that preceded the September 11 attacks, Damien Cove goes to the source and lets “the diplomats tell their side of the story.” (Salon.com)Iran Quietly Signals An Openness to Terror Fight (August 13, 2002)
The Christian Science Monitor reports that Iran’s handing over of 16 Al Qaeda suspects signals a tacit cooperation with Washington. Branded as part of the ‘axis of evil’ by Bush, this signals some, if not a nominal, change in relations.Bin Laden Son Touted as Possible Replacement (August 2, 2002)
Strategic Forcasting refutes recent media stories claiming Bin Laden’s son has taken a leading role in heading al Qaeda operations. It argues that, “it is just as likely that this is another shot in the misinformation campaign being waged between al Qaeda and the US government.”Afghanistan: Grenade Attack on UN Offices (July 31, 2002)
IRIN reports on the “first attack on a UN compound” in Afghanistan since the US bombings. This attack highlights security as the principal challenge facing Afghanistan.20 Things We've Learned Nearly a Year After 9/11 (July 31, 2002)
Almost a year after September 11, this article puts into perspective the regression of peace and freedom experienced both internationally and within the US due to “Bush&Co’s” actions after the attack. (truthout)UN Keeps Damning Report on Afghan Massacre Secret (July 31, 2002)
The United Nations went into abrupt reverse yesterday and said it no longer intended to release a report compiled by a team of UN officials who visited the site where a US warplane attacked a wedding party in Afghanistan on 1 July. (Independent)US Accused of Air Strike Cover-Up (July 29, 2002)
According to a preliminary UN Report, no evidence was found supporting US claims “that its aircraft were fired on from the ground.” The Times reports that “UN sources said that the findings pointed to an American cover-up.”(Times)Making the World More Dangerous (July 28, 2002)
The author argues that President Bush’s response to the 9/11 attacks ignored all the lessons learnt from peace management since the Cold War. President Bush took the “wrong road” and returned to the Reagan age when military action was the favored response and political action was not considered. (Observer)Anniversary 9-11 (July 26, 2002)
With the threat of being inundated by war rhetoric on the anniversary of 9-11, this commentary offers ways in which “peace and justice activists” can create space to voice their grief over the victims of 9/11 and the continuing “war on terrorism.” (ZNET)Flaws in US Air War Left Hundreds of Civilians Dead (July 21, 2002)
The New York Times reports the US bombing of Afghanistan killed at least 400 civilians. Critics of the Pentagon believe the massive loss of innocent lives resulted from the US’s hasty response to the September 11 attacks.Nigeria: US Moves to Abandon S/Arabia for Nigeria's Oil (July 6, 2002)
In the wake of September 11 the US “is working on a new energy security policy,” looking to shift heavy dependence on Middle Eastern countries for crude oil supplies. “The US is hoping to double its oil imports from Nigeria from 900,000 barrels per day to around 1.8 million barrels daily in the next five years.” (This Day/Nigeria)Pakistan Turning Against General 'Busharraf' (July 5, 2002)
The New York Times reports that since September 11 “Musharraf's dutiful carrying out of Washington's demands is galvanizing a widespread feeling that he has largely traded away Pakistan's sovereignty to the US.”The US Nuclear Attack on Hiroshima Paved the Way for September 11 and Its Aftermath (Juni 29, 2002)
John Berger compares the events on September 11 to the bombings of Hiroshima, both surprise attacks on civilians using new weapons of destruction. He argues that the 2001 attacks served as responses to “US armed supremacy” and ruthlessness. (Guardian)Afghan Pipe Dreams (June 28, 2002)
No concrete plans for a Caspian pipeline are underway as of yet. However, CorpWatch reports that entrepreneurs from Moscow to Washington are “setting up shop” in the region.Striking First (June 23, 2002)
This New York Times editorial raises concerns about the change in US policy since September 11. The former “defensive” military strategy has now changed into a “first strike” one. The author argues that “America must be careful to preserve […] its constitutional system of checks on unrestrained executive war-making.”Western Policies Feeding Arab Resentment (June 20, 2002)
Strategic Forecasting reports that US-led operations in Afghanistan followed by “Washington’s bellicose rhetoric toward Iraq,” and the adoption of a new, and seemingly discriminatory homeland security system have exacerbated “a pervasive suspicion in the Middle East of the West’s policies.”Kashmir Key to Al Qaeda's Strategy Versus US (June 19, 2002)
Strategic Forecasting reports on how new al Qaeda training camps in Kashmir could serve to “provoke a war between India and Pakistan.” This could ultimately destabilize Islamabad and, via al Qaeda, “lead to the replacement of the Musharraf government with a fundamentalist Islamic regime.”War On Terror Little To Do With Terror (June 18, 2002)
This article entertains the question, “what is the war on terrorism about, if not terror?” The Toronto Star argues that, even beyond oil, September 11 “opened up rich new possibilities for a president whose very legitimacy was under question” up until the attacks.World Military Spending On Rise After Sept 11 (June 13, 2002)
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported that “world military expenditure in 2001 is estimated at $839 billion.” Along side of this, OECD said in a recent report[…] that increased military spending reduced economic growth in the longer term.” (Reuters)Oil and War (June 2002)
This article states that “to map” the Bush Administrations “ ‘war on terrorism’ is to map the world’s oil.” The authors argue that as “the US is increasingly dependent on foreign oil,” September 11th opened up new possibilities to target the oil rich Central Asian countries. (War Times)Mideast Pattern, Now in Kashmir (June 6, 2002)
The Christian Science Monitor argues that India has joined Israel in declaring their enemy states terrorists, as they “have turned 9/11 to their advantage"…and have aligned themselves with the Bush Administration’s “War on Terrorism."Nightmares of Reason (May 24, 2002)
The author questions the validity of conspiracy theories regarding the Bush Administration and 9/11. He agrees with the claim that the “Bush Administration and its oil-saturated cronies have used the war on terrorism as a pretext to gain access to and control of Central Asia’s fossil fuel reserves.” (In These Times)A War Against the Peacemaker (April 16, 2002)
The US successfully deposed Jose Bustani, head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons at an emergency meeting of the treaty body. The US engineered the departure of the respected Brazilian diplomat despite his moving appeal to the 145 members of the organization. Bustani drew Washington’s ire by persuading Iraq to sign the treaty, reducing the pretext for US war on Iraq. (Guardian)The Next World Order (April 1, 2002)
This article argues that “Bush is going to use September 11 as the occasion to launch a new, aggressive American foreign policy that would represent a broad change in direction rather than a specific war on terrorism.” The author supports his argument with interviews with top US officials, such as Condoleezza Rice, and US Defense Department documents. (New Yorker Magazine)The Lies Leaders Tell When They Want To Go To War (March 30, 2002)
From Macedonia to Chechnya via Israel-Palestine, everyone is cashing in on the “war against terror”. The Independent asks, “must we all be hijacked into America's dangerous self-absorption with the crimes of 11 September?”Mass Mobilization And Political Change (March 27, 2002)
In an increasingly militarized world, “the need for building the broadest, largest, most diverse and most unified, grassroots movement for peace and justice could not be clearer.” Global civil-society’s plans for the regular IMF and World Bank spring meetings in Washington, D.C., provide the perfect opportunity. (ZNet)Uncle Sam's Lucky Finds (March 22, 2002)
As US intelligence agencies continue to find highly convenient “evidence” to support their “war against terrorism,” the Guardian questions the authenticity of these lucky finds.US Bypasses Law in Fight Against Terrorism (March 12, 2002)
Hundreds of Arabs are still in jail six months after the attack on the World Trade Center without even knowing the accusations against them. The International Herald Tribune reports the US Government has also secretly transported suspects to foreign countries thus violating extradition procedures, legal formalities and human rights law.US Adds Troops and Helicopters in Afghan Battle (March 7, 2002)
The US has committed additional troops to the already biggest battle of the war in Afghanistan. The growing US military involvement shows that officials consider this battle as "the climactic moment of the conflict". (New York Times)War on the Third World (March 5, 2002)
George Monbiot accuses the US government of applying the Patriot Act and new security measures according to racial profiling. This trend already existed before September 11, but has dramatically spread since then. (Guardian)Afghans Live and Die With US Mistakes (February 20, 2002)
The Washington Post reports on the extent of civilian casualties resulting from US military strikes on four Afghan villages.US Targeting of Vehicles is Detailed (February 20, 2002)
UN officials report that US military strikes against Afghanistan destroyed “some 160 Afghan fuel tankers and trucks along with 210 cars” during two consecutive days of bombing in November 2001. The strikes resulted in more civilian casualties and continued well after the Taliban were routed from the area. (Boston Globe)In a Shift, US Uses Airstrikes to Help Kabul (February 19, 2002)
The Pentagon's campaign in Afghanistan enters a new phase with bombing raids now being aimed at non-Taliban and al-Qa'ida forces opposed to the interim government in Kabul. (New York Times)War's Black and White Phase Turns to Gray (February 12, 2002)
The Afghan war was allegedly easy to understand in the earlier “black and white days,” when President George Bush proclaimed that the world could be neatly divided into “us or them.” Lately, however, the war has taken on shades of gray and “collateral damage.” (Washington Post)Afghans Are Still Dying as Air Strikes Go On, But No One is Counting (February 12, 2002)
US bombing errors and misleading information on the ground keep the civilian toll in Afghanistan rising. The Guardian investigates how many innocent people are dying in the US “war against terrorism.”Uncertain Toll in the Fog of War: Civilian Deaths in Afghanistan (February 10, 2002)
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and military spokesmen refuse to take responsibility for civilian deaths in Afghanistan. However, New York Times journalists report that “hundreds and perhaps thousands of innocent Afghans have lost their lives during American attacks.”Bush, Oil and the Taliban (February 8, 2002)
An interview with the authors of "Bin Laden: The Forbidden Truth," who allege that the Clinton and Bush administrations placed oil interests before national security in their dealings with al-Qaida before September 11. (Salon News)UN Defies Bush's Characterization of Iran (February 7, 2002)
Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, replies to US accusations that Iranians are arming Afghan warlords and destabilizing the new interim government. Brahimi describes Iran as a key player in sustaining peace and stability in Kabul. (Asia Times)How the US Killed the Wrong Afghans (February 6, 2002)
Despite continuous reports of “successful” US military operations in Afghanistan, US forces are responsible for the killing of innocent civilians. In Uruzgan, a US raid wiped out local opponents of a rogue warlord with strong links to the Taliban. (Time Magazine)Long After The Air Raids, Bomblets Bring More Death (January 28, 2002)
The US war against terrorism has replaced Taliban fighters with almost as many cluster bombs. Afghanistan is littered with thousands of US-made flesh-tearing bomblets that will continue to maim and kill indiscriminately for many years. (Guardian)To Complain Is to Be Un-American (January 23, 2002)
The US government is not concerned with making the world safer, but rather making America safer for the Republican party. (Guardian)How Not to Assign Afghans (January 22, 2002)
The Christian Science Monitor argues that a secure Afghanistan where warlords and tribalism are banished, farmers don't grow poppies for heroin, and foreign donors give money generously, will not prevent Afghanistan from being a breeding ground for terrorism.The New US Triple Alliance: India, Israel and Turkey (January 17, 2002)
This articles argues that the triple alliance “links together three pro-Western and powerful states in the unstable Middle East and Central Asia[…] and potentially extends America's influence and reach because it includes India.” (Globalist)Huntington's Spectre (January 10, 2002)
The US fight against a specter appears to be a valuable strategy. During the cold war, some US allies were Islamic fundamentalists against the communist specter. Today, “the clash of civilization” thesis covers up the real war of global capitalism. (Dawn)Mounting Concern over Civilian Casualties (January 7, 2002)
Hamid Karzai, leader of the interim government in Afghanistan, expressed concern over mounting civilian casualties following a UN report that 52 civilians had been killed in one air strike on December 29. Meanwhile, the US continues to deny accusations of the massive civilian deaths incurred by its bombing campaigns. (UN Integrated Regional Information Network)Rebuilding Afghanistan (January 7, 2002)
The international community faces the task of Afghanistan’s economic reconstruction. The country’s socio-economic infrastructure stands destroyed following 22 years of war, a death toll over 1.5 million, and the emigration of 5 million Afghans. (Dawn)The US and the Taliban: A done Deal (January 2002)
UN and US mediation with Afghan factions produced the Bonn agreement in December 2001 and led to the establishment of an interim government in Afghanistan. Le Monde Diplomatique reveals that the agreement was no sudden miracle, “the Bonn proposals were not new… they had been discussed for over three years.”
2001
Back to Current Articles | 2003 |2002 | 2001 25 Things We Know: Summing-Up Post-9/11 (December 21, 2001)
Common Dreams sums up what have happened on the international political arena since September 11 and tries to help us understand and respond to the recent events.At least 3,500 Civilians Killed in Afghanistan by US Bombs (December 10, 2001)
University of New Hampshire Economics Professor Marc Herold has assembled data on civilian casualties in Afghanistan since October 7. His study, based on information from news agencies, gives a striking account of the consequences of the US-led bombings. (Center for Research on Globalisation)Gainspotting (November 30, 2001)
The Afghan war is not only about oil, but also about drugs. The Northern Alliance function as one of the world’s biggest drug-dealing operations. Nevertheless, the US and CIA have joined forces with drug dealers before in the fight for “good against evil.” (Moscow Times)Allies Justify Mass Killing of Taliban Prisoners in Fort (November 29, 2001)
Following international criticism for using military force to end the revolt of Taliban prisoners in Mazar-i-Sharif, the US and the UK have justified their actions on the grounds that the military response was "not a massacre, not a reprisal", adding: "What happened in Mazar-i-Sharif was a pitched battle." (Guardian)Welcome To Our world (November 27, 2001)
The west wants to rebuild Afghanistan in its own image - whether the locals like it or not. (Guardian)Raising The Double Standard in Afghan War (November 26, 2001)
If the US allows the Northern Alliance to commit more atrocities like the one in Mazar-i-Sharif, its campaign will never be victorious. The Guardian draws a comparison to Ariel Sharon and his responsibility in allowing the Phalangists to massacre the Palestinians in Sabra and Shatila in 1982.Spain Sets Hurdle for Extraditions (November 24, 2001)
Spain is the first European Union country to announce that it will not extradite those charged with complicity in the September 11 attacks unless the US agrees to civilian, not military, trials. (New York Times)A Hollow Victory (November 22, 2001)
The Guardian argues that the war against Afghanistan has increased hunger and banditry while not reducing the terrorist threat.Futile Campaign Against The Head of a Hydra (November 21, 2001)
Killing Osama bin Laden will not prevent al-Qaida from perpetrating another September 11, writes the Guardian.We Are Silent as Barbarians Are at Gates (November 18, 2001)
Toronto Star columnist laments the cynicism and the lack of common humanity in America’s war. Criticizing also Canada’s complicity, the author urges citizens and government officials to speak up instead of silently accepting murder and criminal conduct. ( Toronto Star)America's 'With or Against Us' War Irks Many U.N. Nations (November 14, 2001)
The US line of conduct imposed on the world after September 11 displeases many countries. The tensions increase as President Bush informs the UN General Assembly of his plans to extend the war on terrorism beyond Afghanistan. (Christian Science Monitor)Looking for a Real Legacy to Sept. 11 (November 14, 2001)
Naomi Klein asks the question of why so few world leaders seem willing to use the demands made by the US as an opportunity for international co-operation. September 11 could be a turning point for US ratification of agreements on environment or international human rights. (Toronto Globe & Mail)Afghanistan Facing Ethnic Division? (November 14, 2001)
The United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan faces the risk of internal splits. The author fears that ethnic fragmentation and failures to heed requests from allies can result in a “Balkanisation” of Afghanistan. (Institute for War & Peace Reporting)No Surprise at Rumors of New Atrocities by Our 'Foot-Soldiers' (November 13, 2001)
As the Northern Alliance enters Kabul, risks of violation of humanitarian principles dramatically increase. By supporting the ground troops, US and British governments will not be able to disclaim their responsibility. (Independent)Dubious Legality of Afghan Bombing (November 13, 2001)
This article from Dawn confronts the US-led bombings in Afghanistan and their backing by the UN Security Council with international legal instruments. (Dawn)Bin Laden : Yes, I Did It (November 11, 2001)
In an undisclosed video, Osama bin Laden admits al Qa’eda carried out the September 11 attacks. He justifies the deaths, directly threatens George Bush and Tony Blair, warns other states against participating in the conflict and claims to have access to nuclear and chemical weapons. (Telegraph)Osama Claims He Has Nukes (November 10, 2001)
Osama Bin Laden answers questions on the attacks on September 11, bombings of Afghanistan and nuclear weapons. This was the first interview given by Osama Bin Laden to any journalist after the attacks and was conducted near Kabul. (Dawn)US Strong on Theory, Weak on Evidence (November 7, 2001)
This article criticizes the weak link between the terrorists and Afghanistan. Is it justifiable to bomb an entire country without solid evidence of such a link? (Irish Times)How Not To Win a War (November 2, 2001)
The Guardian argues that the use of B52s by the US is a sure sign of “a bankrupt policy.” The use of B52s in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Iraq did not resolve the conflicts.Spoils of War (October 31, 2001)
No one is sure if we are any closer to defeating Bin Laden, but already this war has produced plenty of winners. The Guardian reports on the people and companies who have benefited from the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.US Warns Afghans of Yellow Cluster Bomblets (October 29, 2001)
The US is bombing Afghanistan with yellow cluster bombs and yellow food parcels. At the same time, US radio broadcasts into the country warn Afghans not to confuse the two yellow objects. (Reuters)Defining A Just War (October 29, 2001)
Princeton University Professor Richard Falk outlines a number of different possible approaches to the September 11 attacks, concluding that the US action is a “just war” as long as the military means are limited in accord with principles of humanitarian law.(The Nation) Stephen Shalom responds with a detailed critique.(Zmag)Cluster Bombs: These are Landmines by Any Other Name (October 26, 2001)
Simon Jenkins of The Times describes the technical capabilities of cluster bombs used by the US air force in the military campaign against Afghanistan. Failure rates of cluster bombs explain their devastation as unexploded bomblets remain armed for decades and the bright yellow coloring of the canisters makes them horribly appealing to children. (The Times)Cluster Bombs Stoke Humanitarian Crisis Fears as Afghan Civilians Toll Mounts (October 25, 2001)
Despite US promises to minimize civilian casualties, US forces are engaging Taliban front lines with cluster bombs in violation of international humanitarian law. Like landmines, cluster bombs have devastating long term effects for non-combatants. (Agence France Presse)UK Foreign Secretary Straw Views 'Rebuilding of Afghanistan' (October 22, 2001)
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw outlines four principles that the international community will need to address in rebuilding Afghanistan. (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)The Clash of Ignorance (October 22, 2001)
In an essay in the The Nation, Edward Said takes a critical look at Samuel Huntington's "clash of civilizations" thesis, an interpretation that has attracted renewed attention after the September 11 events.Global Eye -- Idiot Wind (October 19, 2001)
President George Bush now seeks new allies in order to fight an old one. Is the President sending dangerous weapons and missile components to these countries and if so, what form will the blowback take next time? (Moscow Times)Think-Tank Warns of Dangerous New Era (October 18, 2001)
The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) assesses the fundamental geopolitical shift in the post Cold War “military balance” following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (Reuters)The Unsayable Must Be Said (October 18, 2001)
If the Palestinian problem is a root cause of the September 11 attacks against the US, the question of granting statehood to the Palestinians must be settled without further delay. (Toronto Globe & Mail)Global Tension and The Challenges for NGOs (October 12, 2001)
NGOs face new challenges after the terrorist attacks of September 11. Their role will be to ensure that governments take in full account the humanitarian consequences of any military actions to eradicate global terrorism. (One World)The Civilian Toll (October 11, 2001)
In US criminal law, “purpose and knowledge are equally culpable states of mind.” The military campaign against Afghanistan is being pursued with the purpose of toppling the Taliban and the knowledge that innocent civilians will suffer as a result. The campaign is therefore a violation of US criminal law. (Institute for Health and Social Justice)Iraqis Know What New Yorkers Are Suffering (October 10, 2001)
The tragedy that befell the people of New York on September 11, 2001, is increasing US citizen's awareness of the disastrous effects that sanctions have on Iraq. (San Francisco Chronicle)Spying For a Long, Hot War (October 9, 2001)
Former high level intelligence official, Bobby Imman, lays out the accumulative shortcomings of the US intelligence community since the late 1950s and argues that “America needs the best clandestine intelligence gathering it can find.” (New York Times)Hungry Afghans Showered With ‘Foreign’ Food (October 9, 2001)
The author questions the logic of dropping 37,500 packets of “humanitarian daily rations” which include salad dressing and peanut butter to famished Afghans when, according to regional ‘experts’, “just bundles of nan with salt could have been more useful.” (The Times of India)Prime Minister Tony Blair's interview with Al-Jazeera (October 9, 2001)
In an interview with the satellite channel Al-Jazeera, the Prime Minister Tony Blair explains that the terrorist attacks in the United States 'was an act of injustice that meant that we had to take action against those people responsible'. (10 Downing Street Newsroom)West Is As West Does (October 9, 2001)
Al Ahram, Egypt's most prestigious newspaper closely aligned with the government, expresses some of the frustration and anger felt in the Arab world in response to the recent criticisms of Islam voiced in the West.War Disturbs the Most Dangerous Political Tectonic Plate in the World (October 8, 2001)
“The most powerful military force on earth has now begun its bombardment of the world's poorest, most ravaged Muslim nation,” writes Robert Fisk for the Independent. Will successful humanitarian relief operations be enough to gain Muslim approval?European Laws May Hinder Suspects' Extradition to US (October 7, 2001)
Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights forbids parties from extraditing to countries allowing death penalty. This leads to the question weather the US could seek extradition of the suspects involved in the September 11 attacks. (Associated Press)NGOs Condemn "Confusion" Between Military and Humanitarian Goals (October 8, 2001)
Humanitarian NGOs worry about the dropping of medical and food supplies while bombing the country, arguing it is not a humanitarian but a marketing mission aimed at gathering international approval for the military attacks. (Agence France Press)Lynch Mob Justice or a Proper Trial (October 5, 2001)
If the evidences point Bin Laden as the prime suspect for the September 11 attacks, he is still not “guilty as charged”. The Guardian stresses the need for an international instance capable of trying him fairly according to the fundamental principles of international law.Genocide or Peace (October 2, 2001)
We can feed the starving Afghan millions or mount a military campaign. We can't do both, argues George Monbiot. (Guardian)The Unexpected Since September 11 (October 2, 2001)
Dawn tracks the major shifts in geo-political strategies since the terrorist attacks on the US.No News is Bad News (October 1, 2001)
As Colin Powell appears to be calling for a diplomatic approach to the terrorist crisis, some believe a full scale war has been averted. Think again, say the authors. (NoWarCollective)What Went Wrong (October 1, 2001)
Seymour Hersh finds the failure in US intelligence rooted in internal politics and in the CIA’s inability to capitalize on the collapse of the Soviet Union. (New Yorker)The Charge of the Trade Brigade (October, 2001)
The World Trade Organization’s meeting in Doha does not face the same threats as in Seattle. Protesters seem hampered and EU-US foresee their grievances. The North–South dispute remains, but weakened by the war against terrorism. (Znet)India Says US End to Sanctions on Pakistan Sends "Wrong Signals" (September 30, 2001)
The US sanctions imposed on Pakistan and India after the two “conducted tit-for-tat nuclear blasts in 1998,” are being lifted in line with US strategic interests following the terrorist attacks. However, India believes that Pakistan risks angering Islamic hard-liners by supporting the United States. (AFP)The Algebra of Infinite Justice (September 29, 2001)
“The trouble,” rights the author, “is that once America goes off to war, it can’t very well return without having fought one.” (Guardian)Central Asian Perspectives on 11 September and the Afghan Crisis (September 28, 2001)
This International Crisis Group’s paper analyzes the potential destabilizing effects of the current crisis on Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, now at the center of a major diplomatic and military effort against terrorism.Blowback (September 28, 2001)
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, were not against America, but against American foreign policy. US foreign policy is responsible for creating and actively maintaining authoritarian regimes that oppress millions across the globe. (Observer)Berlusconi Vaunts West's 'Superiority' (September 27, 2001)
The right wing Italian Prime Minister made some extreme comments at a news briefing in Berlin about how the West is bound to conquer the world`s backward peoples. (International Herald Tribune)Much of the Policy Criticism Aimed at US Turns Muted (September 27, 2001)
Due to the WTC crisis, advocacy groups are canceling planned actions and changing rhetoric that can be perceived as unpatriotic or insensitive. Has this self-restraint gone too far, resulting in the pursuit of dangerous and uncriticized policies? (New York Times)In Europe, Some Scold 'World's Policeman' (September 26, 2001)
The New York Times criticizes the inconsistencies of US conduct when it comes to foreign policy.Who Will Replace the Taliban After the US Topples It? (September 25, 2001)
Even if the Taliban is toppled, the future of Afghanistan remains uncertain. (Hong Kong Ta Kung Pao)Chomsky Interview 5 (September 25, 2001)
Noam Chomsky discusses the difference between terrorist acts and acts of resistance as well as the role of the US media in covering the aftermath of the attacks. (ZNET)Central Asia's Great Game Turned on its Head (September 25, 2001)
This article illustrates how oil interests have influenced foreign policy in the region, particularly with respect to the US's role in bringing the ruling Taliban to power (Reuters).Of Sin, The Left & Islamic Fascism (September 24, 2001)
Christopher Hitchens asserts that Bin Laden would still have the support he now enjoys even if Israel had withdrawn from Jerusalem and the US had stopped the sanctions and the bombing on Iraq. (ZNET)Afghanistan's Refugee Crisis (September 24, 2001)
The terrorist attacks on the US could not have come at a worse time for Afghan refugees. This humanitarian crisis, however, dates back more than 23 years. This article describes the history of the crisis as well as the Taleban’s role in escalating the human disaster. (MERIP)Chomsky Compendium Interview (September 24, 2001)
Noam Chomsky answers a full range of questions relating to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. (ZNET)Why I Opposed the Resolution to Authorize Force (September 23, 2001)
Congresswoman Barbara Lee explains that voting in favor of military force in retaliation for the terrorist attacks on the US would have been the equivalent of signing a “blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the Sept. 11 events.” (San Francisco Chronicle)Zmag Composite Interview with Noam Chomsky II (September 22, 2001)
Chomsky discusses the possible motivations of Bin Laden in carrying out the terrorist attacks on the US and any appropriate response that the American government might take. (ZNET)A Growing Opposition (September 21, 2001)
Although the US Government appears undivided in its decision to retaliate militarily for the terrorist attacks, civil society anti-war movements are redoubling their efforts in calling for peace. (The Nation)Wretched Afghanistan (September 21, 2001)
In a Washington Post commentary, Pakistani journalist and Taliban expert Ahmed Rashid reviews US policy towards Afghanistan and deplores the lack of US political support for successive UN efforts to restore peace in this country devastated by 22 years of war.The Choice is Ours (September 20, 2001)
Commenting on the US’s response to the crisis, Roger Normand, the director of the CESR, argues that we must “make a choice between the rule of law and the rule of vengeance.” We cannot achieve security though restriction of civil liberties at home and indiscriminate violence abroad, he says. (Center for Economic and Social Rights)War: Metaphor or Reality? (19 September 2001)
Peter Weiss addresses the difficulties that International Law will have to resolve following the terrorist attacks and the likelihood of military retaliation. (TNI)The World Trade Center and the Rise of the Security State (September 18, 2001)
The essay published one week after 9/11 offers an analysis of market driven and consumerist driven government and culture. The author notes the "rise of security state" even before the Homeland Security office was created. Perhaps when people speak of protecting "our way of life," this is what is meant, not freedom. (CTheory)After September 11: Thoughts on What Can Be Done (September 18, 2001)
In an open letter, international legal scholar Benjamin Ferencz calls for a broad approach to the crisis and urges the US to act within the framework of international law and justice. (Ferencz’s website)Interview With Noam Chomsky (September 18, 2001)
Chomsky analyses the official US perception of the terrorist attack and how US policy may evolve.(Radio B92)The Newest New World Order (September 17, 2001)
What fuels Arab anger is not American “democracy” but rather America’s support for regimes that deny democracy to their people. Not to mention America’s dismissal of international law, disdain of UN requirements, and abandonment of internationally supported treaties.Islam and the West are Inadequate Banners (September 16, 2001)
The United States may too often have failed to look outside but it is depressing how little time is spent trying to understand America. (Observer)The Harm Done to Innocents (September 16, 2001)
Whereas Arabs understand the difference between the values of a people and the political agenda of a narrow minority in power, Chris Toensing argues that Americans “do not seem to return the favor.” (MERIP)Justice Is a Dish Best Served Cold (September 14, 2001)
This article written by an analyst at the Center for Defense Information is not a pacifist document, but it does provide grounds for showing how the US military strategy is inappropriate as a military strategy. (Moscow Times)Remembering the Last US Retaliation Against Terror (September 14, 2001)
Jeff Cohen criticizes the US government in its failure to learn from past military reprisals against Osama bin Laden. (FAIR)Asking “Why” (September 13, 2001)
Trying to understand the terrorist attacks against the US and its implications for US foreign and military policy, Michael Klare analyses US policy in the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia in particular.Who Is Osama Bin Laden? (12 September, 2001)
Michel Chossudovsky unravels the CIA’s dubious operations in Pakistan and Chechnya as well as its ties to Bin Laden. (CRG)New York City Labor Against the War (September 12, 2001)
A letter opposing the US war in Afghanistan signed by hundreds of trade unionists from the New York area and others beyond.For the Arrogance of Power America Now Pays a Terrible Price (September 12, 2001)
Said George Kennan, former US Ambassador to the Soviet Union during Stalin’s time: "To see ourselves as the center of political enlightenment and teachers to a great part of the rest of the world [is] unthought-through, vainglorious and undesirable." Jonathan Power explains why. (TFF)Entrapments Rich Countries Cannot Escape: Governance Hotspots (September 11, 2001)
Saskia Sassen places the conflict in the broader context of globalization and worldwide social injustice. (Social Science Research Council)Congressional Hearing: US Interests In The Central Asian Republics (February 12, 1998)
Is the role of oil playing any part in the current military campaign against Afghanistan? This Congressional Hearing before the House Committee on International Relations, provides a revealing statement made by John Maresca, Vice President of International Relations of the Unocal Corporation. (US Congress)Ex-National Security Chief Brzezinski Admits: Afghan Islamism Was Made in Washington (January 15, 1998)
Interview with Zbigniew Brzezinski, President Jimmy Carter's National Security Adviser in 'Le Nouvel Observateur' (France).
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