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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDavid Rothkopf: America Took the Bait After an Attack 20 Years Ago. Not This Time.
We cannot and must not let the attackers achieve their utmost goal and capture the narrative of our exit nor can we allow them to remake our plans.
David Rothkopf
Updated Aug. 26, 2021 7:22PM ET / Published Aug. 26, 2021 6:41PM ET
In the wake of the horrific bombings that claimed dozens of lives including 12 U.S. service members, we as a nation and our leaders are confronted with a very difficult challenge.
We must find a way to acknowledge our horror and the courage and sacrifice of those who have fallen without letting the perpetrators of the crime seize hold of our emotions and force us to compound the damage they have done with bad decisions that ultimately damage us further.
That is, after all, the objective of terrorists. It is their force multiplier. They, who are by and large weak, amplify the impact of their deeds by attacking highly visible soft targets in ways that generate media coverage and public reaction. And then they hope that those they attack respond in a way that further elevates themby characterizing their threat as bigger than it is or by becoming bogged down in asymmetric conflicts that weaken them in terms of their public image and their resources.
The first op-ed I wrote in the wake of the September 11th attacks warned against the US being drawn into a global Intifada that damaged us in manifold ways and would be almost impossible to win.
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more at link
captain queeg
(10,085 posts)to Afghanistan. They are always willing to throw our military into harms way for their phony patriotism
BlueWavePsych
(2,635 posts)PortTack
(32,691 posts)RVN VET71
(2,689 posts)Or Iran.
Rothkopf is absolutely correct, of course. This is the Democrats chance to not do what the Fascist-Republicans did following 9/11.
I personally believe that President Biden is working on payback -- without starting a war.
Jetheels
(991 posts)Last edited Fri Aug 27, 2021, 03:39 PM - Edit history (1)
The Grim Reaper Governors deSatan and Abbott killed more people that day than the suicide bomber.
The suicide bombing seems like bait.
ashredux
(2,598 posts)Osama bin Laden noticed the parade on that one then rushed to the front and claimed to be leading it.
We were going deeper and deeper in debt and had been for decades, except for a couple of years in the Clinton administration where Republicans and Democrats colluded together to temporarily cook the books to make it look like we'd balanced a yearly budget (at long last).
ashredux
(2,598 posts)IronLionZion
(45,380 posts)if you don't like it then you hate America.
former9thward
(31,925 posts)It was an attack and needed to be dealt with. What would the OP have us do? Ignore 3,000 deaths and massive damage to NYC and DC? Yep, that would really work....
Hiawatha Pete
(1,794 posts)That said, as a Canadian, I'm glad Canada ended it's Afghan mission in 2011 after Bin Laden was finally killed by US Forces.
What would we attack this time?
On 9/11, Osama bin Laden had been the patron of the taliban (note the lack of capitalization) before they left Pakistan and overthrew the government in Afghanistan.
After the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, they deliberately gave aid and shelter to bin Laden's Al Qaeda.
This time around, ISIS is a terrorist organization which is working against both the Taliban and the US. The Taliban government in Afghanistan isn't giving it aid and shelter.
Roc2020
(1,613 posts)confirms all the more why we should get out. President Biden is 100% right. Messy but right.
UTUSN
(70,641 posts)Aussie105
(5,318 posts)It was for centuries before American boots were on the ground. Different factions trying to gain dominance through domestic terrorism.
It has been for 20 years.
And now people suddenly notice?
And now it suddenly matters?