Tremors of Terror
Three years on

Dr. Mohsen Zahran
Professor of Planning
University of Alexandria

Sept, 11, 2004

September 11th, 2001 was observed with grief, anguish and sadness in the U.S., as well as in various capitals around the world. A somber time to remember, to reflect, to review, to resolve and to plan ahead in order to avoid recurrence and eradicate the causes at the roots. The international community is now decisively committed to fight terrorism and eliminate its terrible manifestations of the massive loss of life and property in various regions without exceptions. For now, horrific acts of violence and terror have spread all over to become a global deadly epidemic of far reaching, grave consequences and tragic repercussions, regardless of location, culture religion or political system. Increasingly, the tremors of September 11th have been reverberating all over for the past 1100 days, and there is no, and will not be for sometime, decline or end in sight. The aftershocks, setbacks and tremors are multitudinal. Some are terribly tangible and terminal, many are intangible, but powerful and immeasurable! International and regional institutions and organizations have been shaken and undermined to the point of uselessness and impotency. National governments strategies, policies, priorities and plans have been questioned, blamed and restructured (FBI, CIA, DOD, DOS,…etc. in the U.S.). Security, safety, stability, global strategy and supremacy issues have been given uppermost precedence and prevalence, not only at the global, regional and national levels, but also at the pubic, quasi-public and private arenas.

The culture of fear, omnipresent threats, terror, insecurity, immediate response and overkill have infiltrated and overtaken both the public and private minds, attitudes and actions, thus becoming dominant, dictating and overpowering. The waging of the global War on Terrorism (WOT) by President G. W. Bush, was supported with huge financial allocations, in hundreds of billions of dollars, as well as material resources, with substantial participation by the UN, the European Union and other allies. The target at first was the axis of evil linking North Korea, Iran and Iraq, while the Afghanistan military operation was underway to eliminate El-Qa'ida, the Talibans and Bin Laden. Then Scenario II was launched to eliminate the Sadam regime and the threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), proven afterwards to be non-existent. Subsequently, appropriate Security Council resolutions were adopted to condemn and give moral international justifications to the theatre of military operations in Iraq. However, the UN Secretary General surprised everyone when he announced recently, 18 months too late, that the war in Iraq was illegitimate?! Scenario III, production is now underway with engineered Security Council resolutions to deal with Syria and the Sudan, and Iran now is in pipeline. Thus, the Middle East external and internal interventions are working in concert to achieve strategic goals, while the theatre in Central Africa is past the conception stage. The political economic, social and cultural tremors and regional ramifications are monumental and far-reaching.

Even Russia, after the terrible massacre of the nearly 400 Beslan school children and adults by Chechen terrorists, was shaken and hastened to vow revenge and also wage its own war on terrorism! Now the U.S., Israel and Russia are united in the goal and violent, deadly reactions. Although the world condemned with utter indignation the Beslan murders by Fanatic Islamic groups, as it had had after the Sept. 11 tragic events, yet few governments mentioned that Russia had committed equal atrocities against the innocent population of Chechnya, as it had done it before during the Afghanistan occupation 20 years ago. Many other countries have also suffered from various horrible acts of violence and terrorism in varying degrees and intensity with tragic loss of life and property.

However, we should remind ourselves, neverthless, that the current waves of terrorism and violence were germinated and triggered in the sixties after a period of relative security and stability since the end of WWII. Was not the military confrontation in northern Ireland a flagrant example of terrorism victimizing innocent lives? Were not the terrible operations of civilian planes hijacking, destruction, killing of innocent passengers, an equally deplorable and terrible acts of terrorism?Equally repulsive and inexcusable is Israeli planes and tanks killing Palestinians and civilians and demolishing their homes in several Palestinian camps and towns. The terrible atrocities committed by the big powers and the new colonialists have cconditioned, prepared and taught the hopeless, powerless, desperate youth of the region and elsewhere to resort to the same tactics methods and tools. Before September 11th, the seeds of terrorism were imported and were not home made! Egypt and other Arab countries have suffered from terrorism since the eighties, and warned the world that it will become a global phenomenon, and that the international community should work in concert to define it encapsulate it and combat it, the call was left unheeded, until September 11, when the fear shock and terror hit home, hitherto was virtually safe ,secure and impenetrable!? Nonetheless, national legitimate uprisings and resistance to occupation, which are sanctioned by the UN, have also suffered the tremors of September.

In Palestine, like in other similar cases, Israel has labeled the freedom fighters terrorists, anti semetic.The Jewish State is exercising the same oppressive and killing acts, against the mostly moslem palastinians, as the super power, sharing information and experience, as well as using the same techniques, tactics and methods coupled with utilizing well the media coverage to their advantage in order to rally world support! Alas, how can the oppressor become innocent and the victims become guilty and be condemned? Under the banner of the War on Terrorism, with the moral justification given by the UN, many flagrant abuse and denial of human rights and violations of the Geneva conventions are committed by the US, and other countries followed suit. Thanks to the information technology revolution and instant satellite coverage of events, the atrocities committed are broadcast live for all to watch and condemn, as well as to mobilize public condemnation and call for corrective action.
The indignant human rights violations in Abou Gharieb prison in Iraq and Guantanamo base in Cuba have rallied public opinion, everywhere. With massive public pressure, apologies were expressed, investigations were launched and trials of the wrongdoers publicly held!. However, there are many terrible acts against human beings that are committed daily in many countries and are concealed, neglected and/or forgotten. Such horrendous terrorist acts of genocides have taken place in massacres in Bosnia, Kosovo, Uganda, Congo, Liberia, Somalia, the Sudan and elsewhere in Europe, Africa and Asia. They are too many, too bloody, too cruel, too repulsive, to condone world apathy, silence or benign neglect!

Wanton Defamation of Islam:
It is unjust, untrue and unethical to link Islam and the horrific actions of fanatic Moslems to the teachings of Islam. This would be confusing religion with fanatic extremist acts of specific groups, Islamic Fundamentalist (as if there is no Jewish or Christian fundamentalism doing similar atrocities?).
The intention here is not innocent, it certainly is tinted with character assasination and is a wicked indictment of one of the great religions of more than 20% of the world population. Meanwhile, it is convenient for some Western writers and politicians to link Islam to terrorism and focus on the ugly, inhuman character after any beheading, massacre or repulsive atrocities of hostages in Iraq or elsewhere.
While they abhor and condemn fanatic Islamic terrorism, they have not labeled the bloody conflict in Northern Ireland "Catholic Terrorism", or the Serbian horrible massacres of civilians in Bosnia "Orthodox Terrorism", though it was sanctioned by the Orthodox Church, or even call the Israeli killing of Palestinian civilians, including women and children, as "Jewish Terrorism". Certain massive killings by Islamic extremism are quickly linked to Islam, where similar actions by Jews or Catholics or Orthodox Western factions bloody terrorists are brushed aside and are hardly connected to their religious beliefs, It is ironic, wicked and premeditated.
Reflections:
Prominent writers and columnists in the U.S. and Europe, pointing to the fact that almost all terrorists are fanatic Moslems who claim that they follow Jihad as a religious obligation to fight the infidels, have wrongly accused Islam as being anti- civilization, and that the clash of civilizations is inevitable echoeing the dangerous views of Samuel Huntigton (he has asserted recently that an inevitable clash will split the US due to cultural confrontation between energetic white protestant majority that has built up the nation and the lazy latin american catholic immigrants!?). Meanwhile, a prominent Arab columnist wrote in Al-Sharq Al-Awasat daily after the Beslan massacre, that:
"Why is it that almost all terrorists are Moslems?," "Why is it that nearly all terrorist acts are committed in the name of Islam?" Blaming the West alone for being the cause of terrorism due to its policies, which perpetuated occupation despair, poverty, oppression and distress should not eclipse the fact that regional and national causes are also equally guilty!! Almost all arab governments,due to reasons of their own, have elected to remain silent amidst the shocking events.They are divided, weak and pathetic!The future of the region has never been more cloudy, unpredictable and certainly alarming that major geopolitcal upheavals are brewing and slowly unfolding. Troubling times are certain to engulf every one, and sparing none, no matter the cries or protestations! Many Islamic leaders, thinkers and writers have questioned the status quo and the current situation in Arab countries and the common practices of violations of human rights for being responsible and must be held accountable! They have called for fundamental reform and change politically, culturally, economically and socially. They demand that the other national community grievances and misunderstandings of Islam must be addressed intelligently and that the message of peace, tolerance, understanding, cooperation and equality of all human beings before God is in the core teachings of Islam, which also condemns violence and unlawful killings.

It is abundantly clear that three years since the start of the global war on terrorism was waged, the violence induced and crimes committed by terrorists have not receded. We have watched on television in Iraq how fanatics kidnapped innocent civilians, foreign and Arab hostages alike, proudly beheaded them in the name of Islam, for all the world to watch in disbelief and horror.Angry condemnation were loudly voiced everywhere, although the arab reaction was incredibly weak and embarassingly submissive!. However, the tide of terrorism is rising; the atrocities are spreading and are spiraling in intensity and tenacity. Even the elimination of the persons of Bin Ladens, of the Talibans or Saddams cannot and will not stop international terrorism. Regular army operations will not be able to eradicate guerrilla-style terrorism. Afghanistan, Iraq and Chechnya are too glaring examples. Cells of well-trained and equipped terrorists are sprouting everywhere and mushrooming anywhere. The terrible punishment of over-killing used by the U.S., Israel and Russia further inflames the feelings of revenge and over-killing of civilians by terrorists everywhere. They have managed to adopt the latest knowhow and to use wll the multi-media resources in order to maximize the impact on peoples' feelings of insecurity, fear and terror at both industrialized and developing worlds alike! It has become a terrible horrific vicious circle.

The solution and salvation lie in addressing the roots of the problem through the elimination of injustice, oppression, occupation, neo-colonization, deprivation and under-development. This must be done immediately!. There are no alternatives to radical national reforms and instituting needed changes politically, socially, economically and culturally, as well as a total, solid commitment to safegurding and securing human rights for all communities and individuals of different creeds, origins, sex, color , income or views. The misinterpreted message and teachings of Islam need to be addressed nationally and internationally. Education, cultural and religious enlightment and reform must be emphasized with open mind and heart. Equally important and in combating deprivation and fanaticism is cultural uplifting, provision of food dignified shelter, jobs and hope for a better tomorrow, with due respect and guarantee of human rights to all citizens, groups and minorities regardless.

The only choice is for the world community, specially the arab and islamic regions, to wake up, stand up and make up. For each member must do his/her share, and shoulder his/her responsibility at the public and private sectors, as well as at the communal and individual levels. Terrorists will recognize no civilization, no culture, no borders, no doors and no one anywhere--high or low, far or near. All humanity will suffer in the War On Terrorism. There will be no winners and all will be losers.

Dr. Mohsen Zahran, 11/09/2004