23 Years Since 9/11: The Root Causes Remain

“If it were up to me, I’d dump the Israelis tomorrow," - Michael Scheuer (CIA veteran, former Chief of the Bin Laden unit).

23 years ago, Al Qaeda launched the most dramatic attacks ever perpetrated by a non-state actor against the United States of America, targeting the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, and Somerset County, killing 2,977 people.

The US government responded by launching its Global War on Terror, which then-President Bush called a "crusade," killing 4 million people in the Muslim world, alongside an organised torture campaign and assassination programme.

The tragic 9/11 attacks occurred in a particular context...

"Did our foreign policy motivate these people? Absolutely," said Michael Scheuer to the House Homeland Security Committee.

The US had previously invaded Iraq, starving 500,000 Iraqi children to death, empowered dictators in the Muslim world, and provided unwavering support to the Zionist occupation of Palestine.

We saw a glimmer of hope when the US government opened a dialogue with the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and ended the longest war in America's history.

But it did not last. The US continued to support tyrants in the Middle East. Today, it is the number one enabler of the Zionist genocide in Gaza, providing enormous financial, military, and political support to Netanyahu's livestreamed massacres.

In other words, more than ever, the root causes that led to 9/11 remain.

Living in an interconnected and globalised world, our fates are intertwined.

Decent people of this world have no choice but to stand strong in the face of genocide and promote mutual respect and dialogue.

CC image courtesy of rds323 on Flikr