Resurgence of conservatism, substantial upgrade in airport security, continual double spending on national defense, more and more anti-terrorism law, the pawn of citizens' freedom and human rights and the like have taken place at that particular moment when terrorists attacked the United States. That moment in history has changed the United States and the world. These past 10 years in history are indeed a very different 10-year period for all.
Trace of 9/11 Tragedy
The people in the United States are eager to return to the life before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But it seems that there is no way for them to go back to the life they used to enjoy prior to the attacks. Ten years have since past, but the incident left by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States cannot wash clean the trace of the 9/11 tragedy.
Thus some people lamented and said that if the goal of the terrorists in carrying terrorist activities is to change the world, then these terrorists have achieved their purpose.
Country’s Dignity
In the post 11 September era, the deeply wounded United States began to carry out retaliatory actions against the terrorists in many other countries. The United States tried to use counterterrorism war to boost the morale of its people, and to restore the dignity of the nation.
But the more the United States staged the counterterrorism war, the more terrorist activities emerged from the ground.
All the big and small counterterrorism wars staged by the United States have caused a lot of thought and debate in the mind of the people. Is it true that the more a country stages counterterrorism war, the more these terrorists will launch terror attacks? Between war and peace, there exist two contradictory states. But in reality, can the world really pursue the so-called peace through the use of war alone?
Within the past 10 years, former US President George W. Bush Jr raised the counterterrorism banner during his tenure as the US national leader. Later on, Bush had to step down from his presidential platform eventually. His close counterterrorism ally Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister has also bid farewell to the 10 Downing Street in London.
Yet between the ups and downs of the two national leaders and their counterterrorism wars, more than 130,000 civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq have lost their lives; 7.8 million people have become refugees and about 7,500 US and allied force soldiers were killed in foreign land and could not return to their homeland and home forever. Have they died for their nation? Or have they become political sacrificial lamb?
Of grave concern to us is that after the 9/11 incident, the misunderstanding between the Muslim World and the western countries has exacerbated. The shooting tragedy that killed many innocent lives in Norway, a country considered by many as a heaven on earth has left with us unlimited sigh and sorrow! There is indeed no true winner in counterterrorism war.
National Security System
A recent public opinion poll conducted in the United States has indicated that nearly 49 percent of the people in the United States still think that Islam is not a religion that embraces peace. But as we think deeper, in fact, it is not only Islam that has been covered with a misunderstood dust by the people.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks that happened in the United States have reflected the reality of the vulnerability of the US national security system. Moreover, the reason used by the US Government to use force on Iraq was but a far-fetched ridiculous excuse. In the end the US allies also alienated from the United States eventually. The "Big Brother" image of the United States in the international community as well as in the eyes of its citizens has suffered considerable setback eventually.
It is with regret to note that terrorism is now linked with a certain religion and a certain race. While collapsed building can be rebuilt, but the good value in the hearts of people has been twisted. It is difficult for such value to revive in the hearts of the people when hatred and bitterness prevail.
New International Order
In the end, there is really no winner in any form of counterterrorism war for any nation. The winners are perhaps the arms dealers and the oil tycoons.
Yet as we reflect on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, we take note that an 9/11 victim who was trapped in the building on that fatal day has come out with the following message before he died: "I just want to let you know that I love you and I am stuck in this building in New York."
In this regard, we should all take comfort that on this tenth anniversary of 9/11 tragedy, what the incident has left with us has, in addition to the restructuring of a new international order, also included love.
In the face of hatred, taking revenge on others can tragically become a kind of continuation of strong pillar by some countries. But love and peace are not something that because you want them and thus you can own them. But instead, it is because we process love and peace, and so we want to cherish them.
Trace of 9/11 Tragedy
The people in the United States are eager to return to the life before the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But it seems that there is no way for them to go back to the life they used to enjoy prior to the attacks. Ten years have since past, but the incident left by the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States cannot wash clean the trace of the 9/11 tragedy.
Thus some people lamented and said that if the goal of the terrorists in carrying terrorist activities is to change the world, then these terrorists have achieved their purpose.
Country’s Dignity
In the post 11 September era, the deeply wounded United States began to carry out retaliatory actions against the terrorists in many other countries. The United States tried to use counterterrorism war to boost the morale of its people, and to restore the dignity of the nation.
But the more the United States staged the counterterrorism war, the more terrorist activities emerged from the ground.
All the big and small counterterrorism wars staged by the United States have caused a lot of thought and debate in the mind of the people. Is it true that the more a country stages counterterrorism war, the more these terrorists will launch terror attacks? Between war and peace, there exist two contradictory states. But in reality, can the world really pursue the so-called peace through the use of war alone?
Within the past 10 years, former US President George W. Bush Jr raised the counterterrorism banner during his tenure as the US national leader. Later on, Bush had to step down from his presidential platform eventually. His close counterterrorism ally Tony Blair, the former British Prime Minister has also bid farewell to the 10 Downing Street in London.
Yet between the ups and downs of the two national leaders and their counterterrorism wars, more than 130,000 civilians in Afghanistan and Iraq have lost their lives; 7.8 million people have become refugees and about 7,500 US and allied force soldiers were killed in foreign land and could not return to their homeland and home forever. Have they died for their nation? Or have they become political sacrificial lamb?
Of grave concern to us is that after the 9/11 incident, the misunderstanding between the Muslim World and the western countries has exacerbated. The shooting tragedy that killed many innocent lives in Norway, a country considered by many as a heaven on earth has left with us unlimited sigh and sorrow! There is indeed no true winner in counterterrorism war.
National Security System
A recent public opinion poll conducted in the United States has indicated that nearly 49 percent of the people in the United States still think that Islam is not a religion that embraces peace. But as we think deeper, in fact, it is not only Islam that has been covered with a misunderstood dust by the people.
The 9/11 terrorist attacks that happened in the United States have reflected the reality of the vulnerability of the US national security system. Moreover, the reason used by the US Government to use force on Iraq was but a far-fetched ridiculous excuse. In the end the US allies also alienated from the United States eventually. The "Big Brother" image of the United States in the international community as well as in the eyes of its citizens has suffered considerable setback eventually.
It is with regret to note that terrorism is now linked with a certain religion and a certain race. While collapsed building can be rebuilt, but the good value in the hearts of people has been twisted. It is difficult for such value to revive in the hearts of the people when hatred and bitterness prevail.
New International Order
In the end, there is really no winner in any form of counterterrorism war for any nation. The winners are perhaps the arms dealers and the oil tycoons.
Yet as we reflect on the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, we take note that an 9/11 victim who was trapped in the building on that fatal day has come out with the following message before he died: "I just want to let you know that I love you and I am stuck in this building in New York."
In this regard, we should all take comfort that on this tenth anniversary of 9/11 tragedy, what the incident has left with us has, in addition to the restructuring of a new international order, also included love.
In the face of hatred, taking revenge on others can tragically become a kind of continuation of strong pillar by some countries. But love and peace are not something that because you want them and thus you can own them. But instead, it is because we process love and peace, and so we want to cherish them.
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