The Fall of the Towers … and the Fall of the Regime

The scene is quite remarkable. I can hardly believe it, even though I saw pictures of the collapse of the twin towers, even though a decade has passed since the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington. And I can hardly believe that a group of bearded followers of al-Qaida living in caves in Afghanistan carried out the attacks.

I believe that the event, in planning and execution, was beyond the abilities of these residents of Tora Bora — and that this was the event that changed America, as it also changed the face of the region. How?

The United States commemorated the 10th anniversary of the events of 9/11 under a cloud of worry, fear and an infatuation with security that is unprecedented in its history. The events of 9/11 opened the door to wars for America. Despite the statements and announcements and timetables from the government in Washington, we know when they began, but not how or when they’ll end.

These wars, with their accompanying atrocities, war crimes and human rights violations inside and outside the United States, have damaged America’s reputation, deprived it of the world’s trust and burdened it with human and financial losses.

For the decade since the 9/11 attacks and up until the present, the United States has spent billions of dollars on the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and on the “War on Terror,” which is in addition to the loss of life, where thousands of soldiers have been lost to death, injury or maiming. Most crucially, the spending on these wars aided the worst financial and economic collapse in America since the 1930s.

In his election campaign and at his inauguration, President Obama promised the American people that he would rescue them from the legacy of George W. Bush and his conservative clique. However, he has been unable to realize this program or fulfill his promises — he can’t end either of the two wars, nor has he been able to shut down Guantanamo Prison, as he promised!

Thus the financial and human hemorrhaging continues unabated, with the new president unable to eliminate the remnants of the previous era — he has even been unable to fix the economic crisis or repair the faults in America’s economic system. He is weak, his popularity has decreased and he’s on the brink of new presidential elections…

As for our region, President Obama has failed to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. He hasn’t even managed to foster serious negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government. He has been content with a pro-Israeli bias, has worked to preserve its security and has not condemned the settlement movement.

This position has increased the level of hatred toward the U.S. in the Arab and Islamic world; Obama’s rhetoric in Turkey and Cairo has been unable to improve the ugly face of America after the new administration lost the people’s trust in its policies.

American practices, and the long silence of Arab regimes on American-Israeli injustice, increased the amount of pressure on the Arab street, which eventually exploded in the “Arab Spring,” and this movement, which has toppled, convulsed and terrified regimes, will change the face of the region.

Thus, the United States has rushed to contain this movement, or its results, out of its interest in protecting Israel. Recently, after matters slipped from its fingers in Tunisia and Egypt, it began to play a modest role in events in Libya. However, it is attempting to have a public presence in the Syrian revolution, because change in Syria has particular importance to its role and its geographic, military and political position; this role and its actions will impact the security and safety of Israel.