September 12th, 2006, 12:09
Watching the tv yestersday and seeing the re-runs of the events of 9/11 brought back so many memories of that day and I could not help but be brought to tears again. Even though (five years ago) I watched it from my office in London along with others, we all felt horrified and terrorised, scanning the internet for more news as the BBC website crashed under the strain. America was under attack and we all wondered just how far and how long this was going to go on.
Watching yesterday all the leaders of the world (Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and secular leaders) at that time all sending their own message of sympathy and support to the American people. I believe one even said 'today we are all American'. I wondered where all that sympathy has gone. They say hindsight is 20/20, but I wonder what would have happened if Bush had just waited, had managed to get the support of the UN and Muslim nations in waging a war on terrorists, had not set up prisons to detain suspects without trial and if they had more recently called for an immediate end to violence between Israel and Palestine instead of egging on the Israelis. Maybe more nations would be in support of US foreign policy (maybe not), but the world would be looking at a United States that has not lowered itself to terror tactics, a United States that would still have the moral highground and be respected.
As for Tony Blair and Britain, I remember staying up all night that day in 1997 when Blair won his first general election and captured 63% of the seats in Parliament. We watched him go to the South Bank of the Thames to party and celebrate and drive on to Buckingham Palace and then to Downing Street in that glorious May morning sunshine. The country was born again, a new dawn, a party to replace the corrupt Conservatives. He has done many good things for the country, but his partnership in the war on Iraq with Bush has left most of us feeling betrayed and not only that but left us embarrassed at how our elected leader could become such a puppet of the United States. Blair is now to leave office in the next year and most of the people who voted for him cannot wait to see him go.
Watching yesterday all the leaders of the world (Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist and secular leaders) at that time all sending their own message of sympathy and support to the American people. I believe one even said 'today we are all American'. I wondered where all that sympathy has gone. They say hindsight is 20/20, but I wonder what would have happened if Bush had just waited, had managed to get the support of the UN and Muslim nations in waging a war on terrorists, had not set up prisons to detain suspects without trial and if they had more recently called for an immediate end to violence between Israel and Palestine instead of egging on the Israelis. Maybe more nations would be in support of US foreign policy (maybe not), but the world would be looking at a United States that has not lowered itself to terror tactics, a United States that would still have the moral highground and be respected.
As for Tony Blair and Britain, I remember staying up all night that day in 1997 when Blair won his first general election and captured 63% of the seats in Parliament. We watched him go to the South Bank of the Thames to party and celebrate and drive on to Buckingham Palace and then to Downing Street in that glorious May morning sunshine. The country was born again, a new dawn, a party to replace the corrupt Conservatives. He has done many good things for the country, but his partnership in the war on Iraq with Bush has left most of us feeling betrayed and not only that but left us embarrassed at how our elected leader could become such a puppet of the United States. Blair is now to leave office in the next year and most of the people who voted for him cannot wait to see him go.