Why 9/11?
Pope Benedict’s sacrilegious remarks deeply hurt the sentiments of Muslims everywhere, underscoring why 9/11 was a catastrophe waiting to happen. The Pope gave credence to distorted beliefs based on perceptions than on facts. The conventional wisdom about 9/11 is that while a whole lot of Muslims were aggrieved at the treatment being meted out to them, particularly in the last decade or so, a virulent militant section represented by Osama Bin Laden (OBL) was bent on extracting vengeance, as well as highlighting the “cause”. A number of deadly schemes carried out (or aborted) did not get world attention over a prolonged period.
Since 9/11 persecution of Muslims across the board has escalated in real earnest, the Pope should have been careful in getting involved. One cannot imagine the late Pope John Paul indulging in such controversy, Muslims everywhere had deep respect for him. Even the words of Pope Benedict’s public apology were carefully crafted, regretting the Muslim reaction to his words but not regretting the spoken words themselves. Even moderate Muslim resentment which condemned (and still condemn) 9/11 feel that Muslims are being deliberately targetted for religion alone, a 21st century version of the crusades. The Pope’s remarks only seemed to confirm this. Given that liberal Muslim thought is prevalent in “the great silent majority” and seeing the gravity of the situation, the Pope should have made his regrets explicit instead of playing with words that effects religious affinity. As a private security company, my people have been guarding dozens of churches free of cost since 2002 throughout Pakistan during Sunday Church Service (and other special occasions like Christmas). The guards are Muslim and refuse to take overtime, it being their duty as Muslims to guard minorities. The grateful churchgoers bring picnic baskets for them, one is very proud of this practical community integration exercise.
The tragedy is the focus of Muslim anger is the most generous nation on Earth. The US has not only willingly opened its arms to the destitute, persecuted and homeless of the world, irrespective of creed, caste or religion but has contributed the most among the nations of the world, both in cash and in kind, for ameliorating misery and privation. A major percentage of US Aid has gone to developing Muslim countries, far more than that given by the rich Muslim countries. During the October 8 earthquake in Northern Pakistan last year they were the firstest with the mostest, the Chinook helicopters acting as angels of mercy. The so-called “Ugly Americans” continue to give the maximum to the poorer countries of the world. Receiving undiluted venom in the streets, mirrored in a more sophisticated manner in the Muslim media, Americans have a right to feel that the receivers of their largesse are an ungrateful lot. Unfortunately the policies being presently followed seem insensitive to Muslim sensitivities. That is why it is significant that US President Bush has appointed his closest confidante, Karen Hughes, to bridge the gap.
According to OBL’s own repeated claim, the 9/11 mass killing was carried out by those funded by his resources. What did the innocent who died in this atrocity have anything to do with the perceived persecution of Muslims? Among those who died were many Muslims, OBL and his apologists seem to write them off as acceptable “collateral damage”. This was out-and-out murder of innocents and cannot be condoned for any reason.
Academics and experts lined up on either side to promote or dispel various scenarios refuse to even acknowledge clearly defined facts if they do not support their respective premises. Having over 2000 flying hours on light fixed wing aircraft, L-19s, Cessnas 150, 172, 188, 310 and 337, as well as Bell OH-13(S) and Alouette – 3, helicopters, etc, even I find it difficult to believe how pilots having experience of only a few hundred hours on light aircraft could have flown a fully loaded multi-engined passenger jet aircraft with such precision. Were the aircraft remotely piloted or programmed on auto-pilot to their targets, very much like precision guided missiles (PGMs)? From the available evidence made known the hijackers had access to the simulator training but not to the practical high-tech associated with PGMs.
A plausible conspiracy theory is that some intelligence agency discovered OBL’s plans and decided that the inexperienced pilots (would-be-suicide bombers) needed “help”. Infiltration of double agents to accomplish one’s objectives is an age-old mechanism. In the “Attock Conspiracy Case” in 1973 government agents infiltrated the conspiracy and kept it going when the original plotters seemed to lose interest and direction. Originally directed against the military hierarchy responsible for the 1971 debacle, the “conspiracy” was enlarged by government’s agents to show an apprehensive Bhutto that it was a full-fledged “coup attempt” against him. Confirming the loyalty of the then military hierarchy on the one hand, it put the young officers of the Army against Bhutto on the other. Bhutto was specially appreciative of Gen Zia’s role as the President of the General Court Martial (GCM). The rest is unfortunate history!
Previous to 9/11 Palestine symbolized the Muslim-Jewish confrontation. Could an interested third party have “ensured” the “success” of OBL’s foot soldiers by providing the high-tech support necessary? One can subscribe to any number of conspiracy theories filling many books, yet there is no real “smoking gun” to giving credence to a modern day Polish-border incident when Polish prisoners dressed up in Polish Army uniforms were shown shot dead “attacking” a German border post, “casus belli” for Germany to invade Poland and thus set off World War 2. Could it be the Serbs seeking vengeance against the US for bombing the former rulers of Yugoslavia into submission and creating a Muslim-christian conflict in some earnest? “Dirty Tricks” (DTs) is not beyond the realm of those who have most to gain by having almost the entire Muslim world up in arms against the Jews and Christians both, conversely Christians (and other religions) would come into confrontation against Muslims. One rules out the possibility of US neo-cons involved in a conspiracy, neo-cons consider themselves red-blooded Americans, could they sacrifice the demolition of a symbol of the USA? All conspiracy theories are conjecture!
We are at historic crossroads which may create a divide that will widen as reaction and counter-reaction sets in. This chasm must not become impossible to bridge, only innocents get caught in the crossfire. Tone down the rhetoric and all leaders, political, religious and intellectual etc should reach out to each other, various governments endeavouring to do what they can. The World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Council of 100 leaders of all faiths, C-100, launched in May 2004, has special significance because it is a practical manifestation of Inter-faith at the highest level. A special responsibility devolves on people like Prince Turki Al-Faisal Bin Saud and former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton , Sir Iqbal Sacranie, Dr Hanay El-Bana, etc to take the initiative, preferably under the WEF’s aegis, or without it if the WEF cannot organize this on short notice. We must engage in immediate and dialogue to ensure that 9/11 does not happen again, and again!
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