September 11th, 2001: A Day that will Live in Infamy
by John Thompson
September , 2001
The combined attacks of September 11th on the United States are well beyond the accepted bounds of terrorism. These attacks are a declaration of war.
Terrorism is usually taken to be the use of violence for the purposes of political communications. Terrorism is normally assumed to be limited in terms of ways and means. While terrorism routinely involves the murder of civilians in ones and twos, or even occasionally in their hundreds, death and destruction on this scale is in another category of violence.
The attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 killed about 2,500 American citizens and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage. The death toll in this attack is not yet known, but we will certainly be lucky if the final toll does not reach 20,000. Although of lesser concern, the material damage will certainly be in the billions of dollars and indirect damage to the US and global economies will be in the hundreds of billions.
An attack of this magnitude is far beyond the normal bounds of terrorism. By destroying the World Trade Centre, the author of this attack had launched a very real attack on the Western economy — and terrorism is normally concerned with symbolic attacks. Moreover, the secondary attack in Washington and presumed one intended for Camp David imply an attempt to damage America’s principal political and military leadership.
In effect, the perpetrators of this attack have declared war on the United States specifically, and the Western World generally.
In the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt asked of the Japanese "What kind of people do they think we are?" The question is still appropriate. It has become fashionable in recent decades to assume that the US and other democracies are soft, pliable pushovers… and various international malefactors have gotten used to kicking the democracies in the shins with little fear of retribution. They may be soon disabused of such notions.
The US has just received the most violent and destructive attack in its history. It never sustained an injury as severe as this in any of its wars. It has never received such a blow as it received yesterday, and the loss of life will probably excel that of the bloodiest days of its Civil War.
This is not a time for strongly worded letters of protest or appeals to the UN — when the perpetrators are identified. Someone declared war on the US and indirectly on the rest of us, and they deserve a hard, cruel and ruthless reaction. Long uneasy with the ancient law of "Hot Trod" (the right of hot pursuit, sometimes in the context of a blood feud) when exercised by other nations, the US can be forgiven of it suddenly recognizes the inherent wisdom in pursuing its attackers to their destruction.
Terrorism could be tolerated (barely) by the Western democracies when it was restricted to the levels of violence that had been experienced before September 11th, 2001. It cannot be tolerated when it achieves the destruction seen in New York City and Washington.
Yet there are pitfalls here. The terrorist’s purpose is often to use violence to goad his chosen enemy into a hasty or ill-conceived reaction — one that might win a wider following for his cause. Likewise, an attack might be intended to weaken the strength of a victim country’s institutions and practices, especially if it is a democratic nation.
As Islamic Fundamentalist — if indeed they are behind the attack — might hope for all or some of several different outcomes. He would be pleased if he could ignite widespread bigotry against American Muslims (already attainted in the Fundamentalist’s eyes by living in the West) and force them to choose between their faith and the country. The attacker might also hope to change US relations with Israel and/or moderate Arab states. He might also hope that an infuriated America attacks clumsily when it responds. The grief, pain and humiliation caused by the attack are sauce for these other possible courses.
America must aim its stroke very carefully and very deliberately before it avenges its dead and protects its living.
As for Canada, there are dozens — if not hundreds — of Canadians dead in these attacks too. They also deserve our most resolute response. When the US exerts its right of retributive justice, Canada would do well to have a hand on the sword.
John Thompson is President of the Mackenzie Institute which studies political instability and terrorism. He can be reached at: mackenzieinstitute@bellnet.ca
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