Unit-7-Text-B-Reflections-on-9-11

0.JesseJackson£¬theAmericanpreacherandcivilrights£¬looksbackontheattacksofSeptember11andreflectsonthemistakesthatweremadeinrespondingtothem.1.September11,sevenyearslater.Itisananniversarythatweshouldmarkwithprayer,withloweredvoicesandsoberreflection.September11wasthemostseriousattackonAmericasincePearlHarbor.Wemustnotforget.2.Butblusterisnotremembrance.Wemusttakeclearstockofwhereweareandwhatwemustdo,formuchhasbeenlostovertheselastsevenyears.3.Sevenyearsago,theworldralliedtoourside.NoussommestousAmericans-weareallAmericans-readtheheadlinesinFrenchnewspapers.OuralliesjoinedtheattackonalQaedaanditsTalibanalliesinAfghanistan.Weenlistedlocalalliestohelpleadthesuccessfulattack.AlQaeda'sleadersfledtothemountainousterritoriesonthePakistanborder.TheUNnationsjoinedincollectiveefforttoidentifyandtrackdownthosecommittedtoterror.4.Butratherthanstayingfocusedonthatthreat,AmericachoseinsteadtoinvadeIraq,drivenbythehubris,fearsandgrudgesoftheBushadministration.Thatwarofchoicehasbeenoneoftheworstdebaclesinourhistory.Everyassumption,everyargumentjustifyingitturnedouttobewrong.Therewerenoweaponsofmassdestruction.SaddhamHusseinwasanopponentof,notanallyofthereligiousextremistsofalQaeda.ThewarandconsequentoccupationwasnotfinancedbyIraqioilmoney.5.Andthecostshavebeenstaggering.Wesquanderedthesupportofourallies.Wesufferedover30,000casualtiesandstillcounting.Wewastedover$1trilliondollars,withthedirectcostsrisingatmorethan$10billionamonth.WestainedourreputationinAbuGhraibandGuantanamo.OurscornforinternationallawwasechoedbyPutininGeorgia.Westrainedourownmilitary.OurinvasionstrengthenedIran'shandintheregion.AnditweakenedoursupportforthefledginggovernmentinAfghanistan,allowingalQaeda,accordingtoUSintelligencereports,toreconstituteitselfandposeoncemoreaseriousthreatofattackontheUSanditsallies.Now,alQaedaanditsTalibanalliesthreatennotjustAfghanistan,butPakistanitself,acountrythat,unlikeIraq,reallydoespossessnuclearweapons.6.Thewholenotionofthewaronterror,areportbytheconservativeRandCorporationconcludes,hasbeencounter-productive.Itinflatesourenemies,providingthemwithglobalcredibility,anditdistortsourtask.TherealjoboffightingalQaeda-nowametastasizednetworkofextremistcellswhosegreateststrengthisthewillingnessofsometocommitsuicide-isoverwhelminglyamatterofintelligencegatheringandcooperation,ofpoliceinvestigationandtracking,ofdisruptingfinancialandtravelarrangements,andofcourse,ofwinningaglobalconflictofideas,paintingthemnotasaglobalbehemothwhichtheyarenotbutastheextremiststhattheyare.7.AndweignoredDr.King'srealizationthatasocietyfocusedonwarabroadwouldbelessabletodealwithitsownproblemsathome;thatthebombsdroppedonforeignbattlefieldswouldexplodealsointheneglectofAmerica'scities.Ifwehadinvestedthat$1trillioninconservationandnewenergy,wewouldhavegeneratedjobsandgrowthhereathome,madeourselveslessindebtedabroadandlessdependentonforeignoil.Wesurelywouldhavebeenbetterabletodealwiththeeconomicdownturnwenowface.8.Thecurrentblusteraboutwinningthewarignoresallthis.It'shardtoproclaimvictoryinawarthatshouldneverhavebeenfought.Andinfactwe'realongwayfromavictoryinIraq,ifthatisdefinedasPresidentBushandJohnMcCainsay,asleavingbehindastable,democraticgovernmentthatisasecureAmericanally.Eventhisweek,GeneralPatraeushassuggesteddelayingfurthertroopdrawdowns.TheShiitedominatedgovernmentisaggravating,notsolvingthepoliticaldividewiththeSunnitribesthathavehelpedtocreatethecurrentdeclineinviolence.Theeconomyisstillashambles.TheKurdsarestillseekingindependence.Ifwestayuntilthesetensionsaresettled,wewillstayforyears,ifnotdecades.9.WillwegetsomestraighttalkonIraq?Willwefundamentallyreviseourwrong-headedstrategyonthethreatposedbyalQaeda?Attheirconvention,Republicans,asin2004,soughttomakethewarapartisanclub,andreducethedebatestotaunts.Americansdeservebetter.Butitwillbeuptocitizenstodemandthisoftheirleadersandofthemedia.