The Attack on The World Trade Centers

I remember the day it happened like it was yesterday. I will never forget, nor can I, the emptiness in the pit of my gut when I heard. I still recall the chill in the air that day. A cold wind blew from East to West and brought with it death and blood and fear.
America had been attacked. On its own soil. In the most symbolic city of the New World. At the very heart of our capitalist soul.
The Trade Centers had been the target, and I thought at the time, ‘This will change the world.”
Little did I know at that moment just how wrong I was.
I had known the moment it happened that I was different. That my thoughts, feelings, and ideals would change. And they did. I became an adult that day. I began to watch and read and listen. I wanted to know how. Wanted to know why. Wanted to know what our leaders reactions would be.
At first I was assured that I was not alone. That many felt as I did. Cared as I did. Wanted justice. Wanted answers.
But it was not long before I sensed this simply wasn’t to be the case. That our leaders didn’t have the heart for a fight. That many of the American people, while at first shocked, were more than happy to resume their pre-attack lives as if nothing had happened. And that the world simply didn’t care.
As time went on and my government’s limited reaction to the attack became obvious, I was incensed. Many of my more hawkish friends felt the same. It had been an attack on U.S. soil for Gods sakes, any limit to the retaliation could not stand. But my more liberal associates assured me that justice would be done. It would just take time.
When our reply finally came, I was disappointed and angry. It seemed to be more a show for the cameras, than any real reprisal. In fact, I felt at the time and still do, that our limited response would not end the danger posed by our new enemy, but only make it worse. Many felt I was overreacting, that justice had indeed prevailed. That we had done enough.
Years have passed now, and when I think back I wonder. I wonder if our leadership had been stronger then, maybe our world today would be less perilous. I wonder if our vengeance had been more pure, more substantive; maybe terrorism would be a word taught in History. I wonder if the American people could have pulled themselves out of their cultural stupor long enough to feel true indignation, what the world would be today.
But none of that happened. And if I learned anything from the attack, it is that one must live in the real world. My life changed on that cold clear day, but little else did.
Until eight years later on the morning of September 11, 2001.


***I have often wondered what would have transpired had the first attack on the World Trade Centers gone as planned. By that I mean for the 1100 lbs. of explosives to ignite, disbursing cyanide gas and causing such damage to the structure of the taller tower that it would fall into its twin, destroying both. Obviously, it did not happen this way, but that was the scheme. That was the aim.
What would the reigning president at the time have done? Anything different than he actually, in fact, did? Would he have then treated it as the military attack on his homeland that it so obviously was? I wonder...
You see, our country was attacked on February 26, 1993. Does the mere fact that the attack was not a success(if one can claim the 6 dead, 1000 injured, and $300 million dollars worth of damage unsuccessful), change what should have been our response.
In fact, did our soft ‘criminal justice’ response open us to further attack, ending in the eventual falling of the towers? Hard to say, but history shows that moderate replies to terrorism seem to have little affect.
And why, I wonder, has so little been made of the many connections of the 1993 bombers with Iraq and Saddam Hussein’s government?
And why do the words, ‘It’s the economy, stupid’, keep echoing in my head whenever I consider these events.

Crossposted @ The Wide Awakes