Did America get off lightly on 9/11??

Question

Like most of us around the world, I've been bombarded with images of the twin-tower come tumbling down; the screaming Yanks running along the street; the cries of how hardly-done-by they were...and all the rest of it.

But also like many around the world I've watched as that country played their own political games in other countries backyards; the total lack of respect shown for anything not American; the arrogance; the global bullying. I've also had to watch the voting in of one after another President who has sanctioned such methods.

I'm no supporter of terrorist tactics, but after the actions of America following 9/11; after the way they had the audacity to re-elect Bush (the very epitome of all that is to be despised in that country) - am I the only left wondering if the US got off way too lightly??

To those claiming America is the "victim", consider this:

3000 "innocents" (I wonder how many voted for presidents like Bush, or couldn't be stuffed voting at all) and a couple of buildings is a drop in the ocean compared to the devastation America has caused in Iraq - a country which had NOTHING to do with 9/11

America is not the victim here, but rather the school-yard bully on a global scale!

ULTIMATEMEANING - Jealous of the "worlds' only superpower"???

What scares me most is the fact that the most powerful nation is also one of the most ignorant and one of the most poorly educated (25th in the world and dropping). I'd be less worried if a 5yr old had the keys to the missiles than any one of your recent presidents (well, maybe Clinton was an exception).

Stupidity and power should NEVER be mixed!

Answer 1

Excuses. Whining. Sob-stories. Typical!!

Before crying victims, just think what atrocities your country has committed on real innocents (not just in Iraq, but elsewhere for decades), all on behalf of your own sick political interests. Your country suffered only a fraction of what it has dealt to others less able to defend themselves.

Throw a few thousand pounds of napalm and half a dozen nukes into the picture and maybe they would have gotten a little more of what they really deserved!!

As individuals I do feel some sympathy for the people themselves...but as a nation I think it still needs one hell of a wake-up call.

Burn baby burn!!

Answer 2

These are Dark Times, my friend.
We are either tettering on the brink of total collapse or stepping into a Brand New Day.

I am not sure what you mean by "get off lightly" -- if you are saying that this attack was in response to America being global a$$holes (how handy the dollar sign as 's' is), then, yeah, it was a pretty weak blow all things considered.

The response by America has been a total smack-down man hunt making them scurry about like rats in a cave. The majority of the first world countries said "go ahead."

The US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the most careful war I could ever imagine. I think the US leaders have made some foolish choices but they could have reduced every single city in those areas to rubble in one day.

Given the incredible power of the US, I think they've managed this war with huge restraint.

As to being a Global Bully, the US does not stand alone. A bully has to be bigger than the other guy -- China, Russia, Japan, the EU have all used 'bully tactics' both in economic ways and with actual physical threats.

As to re-electing Bush -- I really do think that it was to support the US, not the man himself for continuity in the "war."

So, one could say that the US "got off lightly" but I'd also say that the US has responded "lightly" as well.

Really, if the greatest threats we are facing as a planet are small groups of terrorists, then life is pretty good. We don't have armies massing at borders (Africa aside, that's another topic), we don't have threats of invasion anywhere and in all peace and trade between the larger global powers is going pretty well.

Answer 3

First of all, I do not support the war in Iraq. We had no business going there, we should have spent all the money and effort on tracking down and obliterating Bin Laden.

And yes, I understand that a portion of the world looks down their noses at us, maybe for good reason, maybe not. But we live in a democracy and as such, even if we choose to do the stupid thing for the right reasons, at least we get to choose.

But what really bothers me, is where are these other world inhabitants when we deserve praise? Americans and our grandchildren, are shouldering and will shoulder, billions upon billions of aid to other countries, while we let our own cititzens suffer. And I don't see you out campaigning for the recipients to return our evil cash.

But I want to know, where, my Australia criticizer, are you when we do good. Or have you forgotten the world wars we helped finance and we sacrificed our sons in Europe. Or when we stood up against Korea, or when we sign over $1 Billion dollars in aid to the countries affected by the tsunami? And surely, you don't complain when Americans spend millions & millions in tourist money in your country.

We as a nation, are not all bad. I for one am glad that your opinion is not that of every other person in the world.

And because this IS AMERICA, we respect your right to state that opinion.

Answer 4

Don't hate. I understand that you are jealous of the worlds only super power....but hating just ain't cool. Being the world economic super power is good living...mmm mmm we've got people to pick up our garbage and clean our streets....we don't go killing each other over who was the legitimate heir to Muhammad....oh that reminds me I better go fill your bowl with water again before you start bitching about not getting enough free hand outs from the US. There's a difference between arrogance and confidence. This was arrogance...the people that are spying on you through our satellites have confidence. BOOYAH!!!

YES. The U.S. is the sole global world power. Since, the end of the cold war there is no nation that can compete militarily or economically with the U.S. Even the Roman empire did not dominate the world on such scales. Now, it is up to the rest of the world to either decide if they want to continue to bicker over their roles on the Global stage slowly destroying any chance that the global community might have or unite with it becoming a true global community, by trying to help guide America and the World in the right direction. We as Humans can do so much more united and so little divided...the Universe is a BIG place still yet to be explored. It's your decision.

Answer 5

If not for the British and French incompetence during WWI, The Paris Peace Conference, and from 1919-1940, you would not be asking this question. Why do you think the Americans ever got involved in the Middle East? They are following in Britain and France's footsteps following WWI. If not for British and French colonialism there is no Saddam Hussein or Iranian Revolution. If not for Lloyd George, Georges Clemenceau, Neville Chamberlain, Pierre Laval, and Pétain, there is no Soviet menace because Hitler would have been defeated in 1935 or 1940 at the latest. Therefore, there is Cold War. No Korea, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq, or Afghanistan conflicts in places where the Soviets were feared or the British and French sowed the seeds of their empires. Get real. America has cleaned up the mess that Europe has created. You are ungrateful for the current war against the Sunnis. This war has the potential to destroy Islamic fascism and you are whining about it. I suggest anti-depressants or some other psychotropic drugs for your brainsickness.

Answer 6

I am American, and I do NOT agree with my government's actions in the years following 9/11...

...but neither do I agree with your horribly insensitive remark wondering if we got off lightly. You think thousands of people dying--many of whom were NOT American--is something SHOULD have happened, and then some?

Almost half of the voters were trying NOT to get Bush re-elected... and Congress has a 16% approval rating at the moment. Bush himself has ratings in the low 30's. You can see that the American people are discontent with how things are... so how can you say we got off lightly?

Answer 7

Any country that was stupid enough to re-elect Bush and his cronies did NOT get off lightly...the only thing is that they are currently too stupid en masse to realise this. I don't mean all Americans are to blame - I know some really cool people who are horrified about what is going on in their country.

It will be the kids and grandkids of those who support Bush that realise that they did NOT get off lightly. All too sad really - they are going to turn round in 75 yrs time and say 'what the HELL were our grandparents doing? Even 9/11 wasn't a big enough wake up call for them'!

Every person who supports the current administration's reckless disreguard for the rest of the world is complicit in murder as far as I am concerned.

Answer 8

Please don't judge America by Bush and the Republicans.

The real America believes in truth, justice, and fair play.

Bush and the Republicans have made a total circus of the American Government but they are only in office for a shorwhile longer.

As the Bible says: "There will be much gnashing of teeth."

Answer 9

wow...

The memory of seeing it happen before my eyes ........NOT ON TV........... is something I will never forget.

At the moment of impact, I knew people were instantly cremated........ INSTANTLY.... take a moment and imagine what that might be like.... imagine that if you were on floors overhead, you KNEW this was the end.... can you imagine contemplating whether you would have better "odds" at surviving if you jumped?? some people tried that..... can you feel what that must've felt like?????

Those were our citizens... not someone "nobody" on tv..... those were mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, fiances, etc

Some of the fathers never got to see the face of their child....
(All americans will watch those children becomes adults because they will have the distinction of being the "9/11" babies - I hope one of them gets to be President one day)


The world that thinks this is okay got off way way way way too easy.

The world that thinks the US got off easy and shouldn't be mad their citizens were brutally murdered for some stupid cause is what is wrong here.


Okay, let's put this in your terms... Think of any skyscraper in your area where you might have relatives or friends working.... imagine the horror of 2 planes crashing into those skyscrapers.... you might think "wow, look and that" and then you realize "hey that's about the floor so and so works on".... you call on your cell phone but get nothing... the realization of that person being cremated ALIVE hits you. With all the structural damage, the building falls but you still hold out hope that your loved one made it out of the building... There's this amazing pile of rubble that's several stories high.

Are you feeling what we felt that morning? Are you mad this happened in your country? As the days go by, and your loved one is not found in the rubble, does the pain of losing them get worse and worse or do you try to hold out hope for your family?

An investigation determines hijackers purposely flew the planes into the building which your loved ones were in. How does that make you feel? What would you like the leader of your country to do?

What does he do about future threats to your country?

Until you put yourself into our shoes, feel our pain and see the possibilities of threats to the country, you can't say we're getting off easy...

Everyone else is. We could do more than sanctions, but the world doesn't see that.

Answer 10

I am an American and agree with much of what you say. Things are going badly for this country and a clash over it is near, we have congressional elections next week and will without much doubt change the balance of powers, we will see if in the first 100 days that things improve that it was a good decision, just for your information there is still talk that Bush cheated to get elected this time, and everyone even repuglicans know he did the first election when he was appointed by the supreme court.