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September 11, 2008
Exclusive: A Cautionary Tale on the 7th Anniversary of ‘9/11’
“Those who ignore history are condemned to repeat it” – George Santayana
9/11 – a day of bravery, a reminder that good does face evil and a day of great tragedy. It set the agenda for the beginning of the 21st century. Terrorism and domestic security are the defining themes of this era. But are we at risk of letting our guard down? If so, we risk disgracing the memory of those who died on that day and the ones who risked their lives to help others. We also risk creating an environment that makes it easy to reprise a 9/11, “condemning us to repeat it.”
‘Hurricane Amnesia”
After several years of being hurricane free, Floridians developed a blasé approach to storm warnings. But as the Season of 2005 approached, it looked like the threats were going to real, and severe. Noticing Floridians were slow to respond to preparedness and evacuation warnings, then-Governor Jeb Bush expressed concern that Florida was suffering from “hurricane amnesia” and citizens seemed to forget the devastation of Hurricane Andrew which wreaked havoc and untold damage. Fortunately his concerns and cautionary comments ultimately were taken seriously; Floridians faced several hurricanes, including the infamous Katrina; stepping up preparedness efforts and community collaboration – taking the threat seriously – all of which saved lives.
Nationwide, each community faces the potential for natural dangers – sometimes rarely and others on a yearly basis. But as a country we continue to face united adversaries who travel freely through our porous borders, lives among us as a Fifth Column and work against us abroad. We cannot afford “terrorism amnesia” or “9/11 amnesia” – if we suffer another bout of forgetfulness, human nature in the face of calm times, it is likely 1993, 1995, 2001 will be reprised; we will have again been “condemned to repeat our history.”
Unfortunately our adversaries understand us and our collective attention span. Given no one has attacked citizens or facilities on US soil in seven years, and in the presence of a nation divided on the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, it is easy to envision being lulled into a false sense of security and succumbing to age old temptations to shift efforts and funding (which ultimately drive all efforts) from homeland security and national defense to other applications. This would be a mistake of epic proportion at a time when our intelligence, law enforcement, biodefense, military and investigative services are being rebuilt, are learning to better communicate and collaborate and are now making significant advances in remedying old vulnerabilities.
“A date that will live in infamy” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Which date? Over the last 60 years, several dates of infamy come to mind; each reminding us that we live in a dangerous world. To think otherwise is a fantasy of childish thought.
Those immortal words uttered by President Franklin Roosevelt refer of course to the Japanese surprise attack which destroyed much of Pearl Harbor and the US Fleet on December 7, 1941 and served to remind Americans the need for greater vigilance in the defense of our nation. Unfortunately as time rolls forward, few of the current generations remember the significance of 12/7/41.
Each nation has a set of dates that stand out – as times of celebration, remembrance or mourning. Few remind us of the fragility of peace and the need for constant vigilance like the following dates:
February 26, 1993
Around 12:18 p.m. on February 26, 1993 a massive explosion ripped through the parking garage and lower structure of the World Trade Center killing six, injuring over a thousand and leading to the evacuation of more than 50,000 people from the complex. It was the first attack on the homeland by foreign terrorists – Muslim extremists. Though explosions and terrorist attacks were frequent sights on evening news –commonplace in the Middle East, Africa and even Western Europe – American viewers long held it would never happen here! It was a “wake-up” call that global radicals were taking the fight to our soil. But did we really awaken to the threat? Was the message that we were now being targeted by Islamic radicals understood?
April 19, 1995
Around 9:03 a.m. the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City fell victim to a massive fuel oil and fertilizer bomb carried in a rented truck. The explosion blew half of the nine story building apart, killing 169 people – many of whom were children, and injuring hundreds more. At first, especially just two years after the 1993 extremist Muslim attack on the World Trade Center, most Americans initially thought it was another terrorist attack. Well that was partly true; but it was domestic terrorism. The stunning reality – this was perpetrated by Americans against Americans. Given the increasing violence on campuses and at protests, the reemergence of extremist identity groups reminiscent of the Weathermen Underground, the hijacking of moderate organizations by more militant leaders – the collaboration of domestic urban gangs with international terror groups, as well as the usual homeland anarchists, it is not unrealistic to wonder if a reprise of Oklahoma City is possible in the short term.
September 11, 2001
8:45 a.m. a hijacked passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 11 out of Boston crashes into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
9:43 a.m. an American Airlines aircraft, Flight 77 crashes into the Pentagon.
10:10 a.m. a United Airlines passenger jet, Flight 93 crashes into Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
It was determined the four hijackings were part of a well funded, skillfully planned, coordinated terrorist attack carried out by radical Muslim extremists – and the names “Osama bin Laden” and “al Qaeda” would become household names. America thought this was the start of the war on terror. That happened a long time ago; we just woke up that day to the full realization.
Each of these days represent unfathomable evil and present cautionary tales that we can never let our guard down – whether the threat reflects a domestic or foreign agenda, no society is ever safe if violence is condoned. Too often agitators, terrorists or violent protestors are given support and refuge under the guise that their efforts are justified to right some perceived injustice. The argument of moral equivalence – that the terrorist actions are morally desirable because they achieve some noble cause or counterbalance on affront or perceived bad act by their opposition is a fallacy and should be debunked – it is ludicrous and should be denounced for what it is… killing to even a score, or killing for a venal objective – power. Yet how often do we hear outcries from Jihadists that the killing is because America desecrates the Holy Saudi land by being there (never mind that the Royal Family sleeps better with USAF squadrons nearby)? Or the U.S. supports Israel or some other “plausible” (if you are Al-Jazeera) grievance that apparently can only be solved through mass murder of non-Muslims – usually noncombatant civilians including children. Hollow justification, worthless rhetoric validated by the pseudo- intelligentsia, applauded by anti-American apologists and extremists. We cannot take those arguments seriously nor can we ignore allies in the face of bullying or threats.
Discussion
Even if we avoid “terrorism amnesia” and remain committed to the cause of protecting the U.S., can we prevent catastrophic attacks? Israel it can be argued is the best of the best at infiltrating their adversaries’ organizations and preventing attacks. Yet the old adage that the good guys have to be lucky all the time, while the bad guys only have to be lucky once is repeatedly held true as reports of homicide bombings or rocket attacks continue in Israel; few to be sure but never the less deadly. Clearly we will stop no one if we don’t continue to emphasize homeland security. As Pasteur once opined, “chance favors the prepared mind” and so it would be better to ensure an infrastructure whereby we force the enemy to rely upon luck by our vigilance and not provide them luck by our lack of resolve or carelessness.
So could we have prevented 9/11 or better protected the homeland? How many wakeup calls do we have left before another cataclysmic event occurs? Clearly trying to predict such events in the absence of actionable intelligence when will the next event occur, by whom, where and using what method or weapons is akin to “handicapping” the ponies or picking the numbers to the Lottery. But the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, ultimately the dress rehearsal for 9/11, especially when the plot was revealed, should remind us that our adversaries are well funded, well-educated (often at U.S. universities), motivated and patient. And they will be back.
From a defensive perspective we are far better prepared but challenges loom on the horizon.
First, America – either weary of the War on Terrorism, overburdened by a stagnating economy and rising cost of living or just succumbing to ‘crisis amnesia’ – if our collective will to defend the nation doesn’t persist, support – financial, collaborative or political – will fade with upcoming Congressional sessions. Unless the public continue to believe we are an active target, our short national attention span, coupled with an increasingly vocal anti-war, anti-America and anti-security cohort of protestors and activists will take us into a Neville Chamberlain era and weaken our nation. This cannot happen. Peace at any price is a recipe for disaster.
Second, the United States provides an enormous blanket of protection for all – citizen, visitor and illegal alien, through our open society and freedoms. It is an admirable predicament we are in to be sure. But the downside of freedom is the ability to use our laws against us. Terrorists understand the protections they can be afforded living among us as they methodically play out their strategies – to undermine us economically, disrupt our economy, raise funds for the various violent factions, obtain intelligence about our vulnerabilities (many) and lay in wait for the next attack. Without question there is a Fifth Column in the United States. The recent release from jail of convicted Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) operative and former University of South Florida professor Sami Al-Arian was met by numerous pro-extremist and radical Muslim groups across the country. It warrants repeating often that our universities are incubators for extremist thought. Radical Islam is being increasingly taught at our universities, and in the process crowding out dissenting voices including Israeli/Hebrew, Western Religion and other faith traditions under the guise of “tolerance” or more likely academia’s fear of being labeled politically incorrect or uprisings from highly mobilized and vocal pro-extremist groups.
The U.S. trains, employs and harbors potential members of extremist Muslims who have infiltrated security, chemical/nuclear industry, academia, health care companies and political organizations. The 1993 attack involved extremists who had been living and working in the U.S. who provided resources and sanctuary to imported members of their groups – the strategy works and will continue to be utilized in a highly effective and multi-pronged approach to undermining the interests and security of the United States. Preparedness will require a greater open dialogue. But fear of being labeled racist is a powerful dissuading influence. People of good will can and should make the distinction between being anti-extremist and being anti-Muslim. The stakes are too high to fear political correctness and allow it to prevent appropriate security considerations. The Fifth Column is here and we must not continue to be a safe haven.
Conclusion
The significance of 9/11 should not be lost on us or the world. The importance of this evil and catastrophic event is not, cannot and should not be confined to the United States. It was an assault on the humanity of the world. It was an assault on common decency and the most fundamental human right that virtually every tribe, state, nation and international organization recognizes – the right to life.
As we awaken to the seventh anniversary of 9/11/01 we should take measure of what we have gained, and what we have lost. Let us be reminded of the responsibility we have as a society to honor the memory of those who died – victims of sub-human extremist murderers – and gratitude for the brave first responders and citizens who risked their lives to save the lives of others. Let us not forget the thousands of people who were safely evacuated from the World Trade Center. Most importantly, let us remember to rejoice in the greatness of our nation, the freedoms we enjoy, the friends and family we can safely visit, our military who put their lives on the line for an ideal called America, and the legions of professionals here and abroad who are working tirelessly to ensure homeland security.
The citizens of the Netherlands take two minutes out of their busy lives every year May 4th to observe a moment of silence – to remember the terrible acts visited upon them by the Nazis, and to rejoice in the sacrifice made by so many to reclaim their country. The cities go quiet – totally quiet; boom boxes turn off, waiters stop serving, skateboarders kick up and stand silently – all ages share in a collective moment. In that spirit, let’s take a moment on 9/11 whether at 8:45 a.m. or not, and pause from our daily lives – remembering we are blessed indeed to live in the United States; with great privilege comes great responsibility. We are charged with an awesome responsibility “9/11 – Never again!”
FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor Dr. Robin McFee is a physician and medical toxicologist. An expert in WMD preparedness, she is a consultant to government agencies, corporations and the media. Dr. McFee is a member of the Global Terrorism, Political Instability and International Crime Council of ASIS International. She has authored numerous articles on terrorism, health care and preparedness, and coauthored two books: Toxico-Terrorism by McGraw Hill and The Handbook of Nuclear, Chemical and Biological Agents, published by Informa/CRC Press.
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