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A Just response? Terrorism, democracy, and 9-11

Is the world of September 2002 substantively different from that of September 2001? How much has our country changed since the terrorist attacks of one year ago? As we prepare for the anniversary of what has become commonly known as “9-11,” what is the lasting impact of these events on our daily lives?

Jonathan Schell’s “Letters from Ground Zero” should be mandatory reading as our nation approaches September 2002. While this portion of A Just Response is perhaps the most dated section of the book, the immediacy of reporting, Schell’s proximity to the site of the New York attack and the emotional rawness of these writings offer a window into the tangle of emotions we experienced last year as we watched the towers of the World Trade Center crumble into dust and twisted steel. Schell grapples with the desire to see the terrorists responsible for the devastation brought to justice and the fear that the response from our nation’s leaders might be hasty and out of proportion.

Schell’s “Letters” encompass a two-month period, from September 12 to November 21, 2001, and trace the dread of escalation, the call for restraint, the potential horror of full-scale biological warfare, and, finally, surprise at the outcome of U.S. military intervention in Afghanistan. In less than forty pages of reporting, Schell offers more insight and analysis than many books ten times the length.

Every US citizen should also be required to read “Dispatches: Articles from around the world on the events of September 11, 2001.” This section of international responses remains timely and offers perspectives not readily available through U.S. media. “Bush and bin Laden” by Dilip Hiro is particularly insightful. While not sympathetic to bin Laden and Al Qaeda, it offers a brief but thorough background on bin Laden’s militant fundamentalism and why he is considered a hero and freedom fighter by Palestinians, Afghans and Pakistanis who view the United States as an imperialistic bully. This essay, paired with Robert Fisk’s September 21, 1998 “A Talk with Osama bin Laden,” helps explain why the reactions to the attacks of September 11 were not universally sympathetic.

Did U.S. intervention in Afghanistan fit the criteria of just war theory? Most of the authors in A Just Response, regular readers of The Nation will not be surprised to discover, claim that it did not. Diplomatic solutions were not explored fully, the United States did not adequately seek counsel from the United Nations or allies, civilian casualties were high, and the perceived mastermind behind the attacks, Osama bin Laden, was not apprehended and brought to justice. Was U.S. intervention in Afghanistan warranted? While some of the outcomes are admirable, particularly the overthrow of the Taliban and the end of its oppression of Afghani women, only the survival of the coalition government, a commitment on the part of the U.S. and its allies to nation building, and an end to ethic conflict will be the final indicators.

A Just Response is not a book to be read in long stretches; ideally, it should be read a few essays at a time, or the subject matter becomes overwhelming. Ultimately, A Just Response is particularly distressing for faithful readers of The Nation in its predictions that the Bush administration’s curtailing of civil liberties and unmitigated leap into warfare instead of diplomacy would spur progressives in Congress and the country overall to provide opposition and seek changes in the political system. One year after the events of September 11, the voices of dissent remain relatively quiet. Will the anniversary observances of our generation’s day that will live in infamy inspire the reforms that the writers of The Nation assumed would be forthcoming?

A Just Response: The Nation on Terrorism, Democracy, and September 11, 2001.
Edited by Katrina vanden Heuvel, introduction by Jonathan Schell. Avalon Publishing, 352pp. $14.95.

[ Posted by Paul Ficklin-Alred at September 1, 2002 09:45 AM | More Book & Film Reviews articles ]

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