Understanding September 11, 2001

Contents

Introduction

Monitoring the conflicts

Enforcing domestic security

Contextualizing 9.11.01

Examining America's response

Reviewing the media

Rebuilding cities

Introduction

Like many of you, I've been trying to make sense of the events of September 11, 2001 by devouring as much information as I can. This no-frills website collects some of the more insightful and/or informative pieces I've come across from newspapers, websites, articles that friends have forwarded to me, and items brought to the attention of various listservers I subscribe to. Overall the assembled contents don't necessarily constitute a unified perspective on what happened on September 11, 2001; some pieces contradict others, some generalize too broadly, and so on. My goal for this website is simply to provide a central, although by no means exhaustive, forum for friends, family, acquaintances, and websurfers to obtain useful news, insightful opinion, and critical analysis of these tragic and extraordinary analysis. (For a more comprehensive source of news and analysis, you might want to take a look at the September 11 Web Archive.)

To give you a sense of my editorial bias, here's some information about me. I live in New York state about 80 miles away from Manhattan, and I know a lot of people who were materially affected, some quite devastatingly (although none mortally, so far as I know), by the World Trade Center bombings. I'm a child of an Army officer who almost two decades ago worked in the side of the Pentagon that was attacked. I've grown up with and have a respect for military culture, especially since many of my childhood friends went into the military and are now participating in the US military response; my thoughts go out to them very earnestly. However, politically I have never identified with the right wing that pervades military culture. As a sociologist, I believe that individual perceptions may have little to no correspondance to reality, but they become a powerful reality of their own when many people share them: hence my interest in public opinion, media coverage, editorials that explain the "common sense," and other expressions of (and influences on) everyday perceptions. My specific area of sociological focus is urban sociology, which is why I'm particularly interested in discussions of how city life will be affected by September 11, 2001.

I have no idea how long I will maintain this website. Part of me thinks it would be great if these issues eventually lapsed back into non-interest for us all, as they were for so many Americans before the bombings. However, that won't likely happen, nor should it. If good things should come out of September 11, I hope that the end of American naivete and ignorance about the world around them is one of them. Or, if retaliation against the terrorists is your primary concern, then perhaps a good way to start is by embracing those principles which they evidently reject, like the exercise of free speech and the practice of public discourse. At any rate, this website will expand if you pass on items of interest and personal responses to me at leonard_nevarez_1@lycos.com.

-- Leonard Nevarez
9.22.01

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MONITORING THE CONFLICTS

I can't hope to provide comprehensive coverage of the military aftermath, but I'll post items that I haven't seen reported on TV news here, plus more obvious yet often overlooked items. On October 10, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United Nations might play "a very, very important role" in a post-Taliban regime in Afghanistan. On October 7, almost 4 weeks after the 9.11.01 attacks, the US and Great Britain commenced retaliatory air strikes in Afghanistan. The day before, anti-terrorism strategies were debated in the United Nations' General Assembly by 167 speakers -- "the largest number of nations ever to take part in a General Assembly debate on a single issue." By the end of September, Afghanistan had already approached a "humanitarian crisis," according to the UN, as thousands of refugees fled the country.

U.S. Weighs Taking War on Terror to Somalia (by David B. Ottaway and Thomas E. Ricks, International Herald Tribune, 11.5.01)

Islamabad's Nuclear Dilemma: Pakistan panics over threat to arsenal (by Tony Allen-Mills, The London Sunday Times, 11.4.01)

U.S. Strategy Hinges on Afghan Allies (by Paul Richter, Los Angeles Times, 11.3.01)

Al-Qaida is winning war, allies warned (by Tania Branigan, Guardian Unlimited, 10.31.01)

Bombing strategy fails to lure defectors (by John Simpson, BBC News, 10.30.01)

US special unit 'stands by to steal atomic warheads' (by Ben Fenton, news.telegraph.co.uk, 10.29.01)

Afghans discuss political future (from BBC News, 10.24.01)

UN set to appeal for halt in the bombing (by Jason Burke, Guardian Unlimited, 10.21.01)

Apec unites against terrorism (from BBC News, 10.21.01)

Powell gets Indian backing (from BBC News, 10.17.01)

US and Pakistan 'share Afghan goal' (from BBC News, 10.16.01)

The US war of minds (by George Eykyn, BBC News, 10.16.01)

Fighting erupts in Kashmir (from BBC News, 10.15.01)

Blair backs creation of Palestinian state (from Guardian Unlimited, 10.15.01)

Wary Canada sends in troops (by Anne McIlroy, Guardian Unlimited, 10.15.01)

UN says US 'feeding Taleban' (from BBC News, 10.15.01)

UN demands pause in bombing to let aid reach starving Afghans (by Kim Sengupta and Cahal Milmo, The Independent, 10.13.01)

Anthrax confirmed in New York (from BBC News, 10.12.01)

Text: Bush’s Press Conference (by Disassociated Press, 10.11.01)

Islamic Summit Implies Its Support (by T. Christian Miller, Los Angeles Times, 10.11.01)

China Reportedly Seals Afghan Border (by Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 10.11.01)

Powell hits back on diplomatic front (from BBC News, 10.10.01)

US begins military strike (from BBC News, 10.7.01)

Timeline: Afghanistan air strikes (from BBC News, 10.7.01)

A New Kind of War Plan (by Michael R. Gordon, New York Times, 10.7.01)

U.N. Terrorism Talks Favour Cooperation Over Retaliation (by Jim Wurst, Inter Press Service, 10.6.01)

Northern Alliance 'not fit to form government' (by Kim Sengupta, The Independent, 10.6.01)

US begins ground deployment (from BBC News, 10.5.01)

Analysis: Pakistan ponders Afghan future (by Daniel Lak, BBC News, 10.3.01)

Nato backs US in anti-terror war (by Jonathan Marcus, BBC News, 10.2.01)

US ready to fight war in 'two phases' (by Kim Sengupta, The Independent, 10.2.01)

Putin 'convinced of Bin Laden's guilt' (from BBC News, 10.2.01)

Uzbekistan backs 'unnatural' ally (by Dominic Arkwright, BBC News, 10.2.01)

Russia starts aid deliveries to anti-Taliban force (by CTVNews staff, Toronto Globe & Mail, 10.2.01)

Iran will 'confront' US if planes use Iranian airspace (by Associated Press, The Independent, 10.1.01)

Saudis ban U.S. aircraft from attacking bin Laden (from Middle East Newsline, 10.1.01)

Food reaches hungry Kabul (from BBC News, 10.1.01)

Afghanistan coup 'being planned' (by Jonathan Steele, Guardian Unlimited, 10.1.01)

Journalist faces spy charge investigation (by Luke Harding, Guardian Unlimited, 10.1.01)

Afghan chaos explodes across region (by Ian Traynor, et al., The Observer, 9.30.01)

Former Afghan king finds US favour (from BBC News, 9.30.01)

Making the case for Pakistan (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 9.27.01)

Beijing's troops train for war on Afghan border (by Oliver August, The Times, 9.26.01)

Renaming an operation to fit the mood (by Elizabeth Becker, New York Times, 9.26.01)

Full text of the Saudi Arabian Government's statement on the breaking off of diplomatic relations with the Taleban (BBC News, 9.25.01)

Heavy fighting in Northern Afghanistan (The Independent, 9.24.01)

Mubarak rules out Arab coalition with U.S. (Middle East Newsline, 9.24.01)

Allies to make base on Afghan territory (The Independent, 9.23.01)

SAS troops exchange gunfire with Taliban (The Times of India, 9.23.01)

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ENFORCING DOMESTIC SECURITY

This new section provides reports and analyses of governmental legislation and enforcement of new domestic security measures in the wake of the 9.11.01 attacks. A variety of bills have worked their way through Capitol Hill; for a useful review of their permutations and outcomes, take a look at the Library of Congress's site on Legislation Related to the Attack of September 11, 2001. Other federal documents can be found in the US General Accounting Office's Special Collections - Terrorism and GAO Reports about Airport Security websites. The Avalon Project at Yale Law School also has a very thorough online collection of presidential and congressional documents on its September 11, 2001: Attack on America website.

One of the immediate consequences of public and private efforts to enhance domestic security has been a reduction in the flow of information. OMB Watch, a watchdog agency of the White House Office of Management and Budget, is posting changes in access to government information in the post-September 11 environment. The Electronic Frontier Foundation is keeping tabs of more general chilling effects in its "National Security" Toll on Freedom of Expression website.

Law Creates Intelligence Behemoth (by Jim McGee, Washington Post, 11.4.01)

Terror Law Foes Mull Strategies (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 11.3.01)

Suspects' links to Sept. 11 in doubt (by Tom Blackwell, National Post, 11.3.01)

A nervous nation (from The Economist, 11.2.01)

Green Party USA Coordinator Detained at Airport; Prevented by Armed Military Personnel from Flying to Political Meeting in Chicago (from CounterPunch, 11.2.01)

In the Face of Terror: Recognition Technology Spreads Quickly (by Robert O'Harrow, Jr., Washington Post, 11.1.01)

3 New Allies Help C.I.A. in Its Fight Against Terror (by James Risen and Tim Wiener, New York Times, 10.30.01)

FBI Terror Detentions Questioned (by Declan McCullagh and Ben Polen, Wired News, 10.30.01)

Martin Luther King: A Domestic Terrorist? (by Ira Chernus, CommonDreams.org, 10.30.01)

With Powers Like These, Can Repression Be Far Behind? (by Robert Scheer, Los Angeles Times, 10.30.01)

Round up the usual suspects (by Nat Hentoff, Washington Times, 10.29.01)

Refugees at America's Door Find It Closed After Attacks (by Somini Sengupta, New York Times, 10.29.01)

Terror suspects may face trial by military tribunal (by Frank Davies, Miami Herald, 10.28.01)

Local police departments say FBI needn't handle everything (by Ron Kampeas, Associated Press, from Nando Times, 10.27.01)

Spy agency destroys data, angering others in probe (by John Donnely, Boston Globe, 10.27.01)

The Oracle of National ID Cards (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.27.01)

Terror Act Has Lasting Effects (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.26.01)

Gates, Barrett ponder tech's role in crisis (by Kristy Heim, San Jose Mercury News, 10.25.01)

USA Act Stampedes Through (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.25.01)

Can Congress Convene Online? (by Noah Shachtman, Wired News, 10.25.01)

Suppression Stifles Some Sites (by Julia Scheeres, Wired News, 10.25.01)

National ID plan could mean windfall for tech firms (by Elise Ackerman and Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, 10.24.01)

The real battle lines (by Naomi Klein, Toronto Globe & Mail, 10.24.01)

There will be losers and winners in a world of enhanced security (by Hamish McRae, The Independent, 10.24.01)

Post-attack caution stanches online data flow (by David Lieberman, USA Today, 10.23.01)

Of Microbes and Mock Attacks: Years Ago, The Military Sprayed Germs on U.S. Cities (by Jim Carlton, Wall Street Journal, 10.22.01)

FBI considers torture as suspects stay silent (by Damian Whitworth, London Times, 10.22.01)

Pro-USA Hackers Target Pakistani Defacement Group (by Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes, 10.22.01)

Focus of F.B.I. Is Seen Shifting to Terrorism (by Philip Shenon and David Johnston, New York Times, 10.21.01)

'Who Is This Kafka That People Keep Mentioning?' (by Deborah Sontag, New York Times Magazine, 10.21.01)

A CIA propaganda apparatus aimed at the American people (by Carla Binion, Online Journal, 10.20.01)

Canada Works on Terror Bill, Too (by Charles Mandel, Wired News, 10.19.01)

Bioweapons alerts may cause lasting psychological harm (by Will Knight, New Scientist, 10.19.01)

Lawyers see potential abuse of visa laws to hold suspected terrorists (by Seth Stern, Christian Science Monitor, 10.18.01)

Governor Calls for 'Cyber Court' (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.18.01)

Ashcroft Denies Wide Detainee Abuse (by Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times, 10.17.01)

Support grows for Ellison's national ID card proposal (by Elise Ackerman and Paul Rogers, San Jose Mercury News, 10.16.01)

Gagging the sceptics (by George Monbiot, Guardian Unlimited, 10.16.01)

From the United States of America to the National Security States of America (by Al Martin, 10.16.01?)

Questions Swirl Around Men Held in Terror Probe (by Lois Romano and David S. Fallis, Washington Post, 10.15.01)

Saudis Protest at Treatment of Citizens in U.S.(from Reuters, 10.15.01)

Wide FBI dragnet turns up leads, but also criticism (by Dante Chinni, Christian Science Monitor, 10.15.01)

Profiling Peace Activists (by Seth Sandronsky, Common Dreams, 10.15.01)

House Endorses Snoop Bill (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.13.01)

Agencies censor sites deemed useful to terrorists (by Associated Press, USA Today, 10.13.01)

Dragnet Yields the Chilling, Alarming (by Patrick J. McDonald and William C. Rempel, Los Angeles Times, 10.12.01)

Anti-Secrecy Website Pulls Sensitive Information (by David McGuire, Newsbytes, 10.11.01)

A Senator's Lonely Privacy Fight (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.11.01)

Bush Lifts Some Restrictions on Classified Information (by Todd S. Purdum, New York Times, 10.11.01)

Snoop Bill Heads to Final Vote (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.10.01)

New Slogan in Washington: Watch What You Say (by Elizabeth Bumiller, New York Times, 10.7.01)

Watchdog Sites Shut Down in Interest of National Security (by Sabin Russell, NewsFactor Network, 10.5.01)

No Smoking Gun in Terror Bill (by Jeffrey Benner, Wired News, 10.5.01)

Following attacks, courtrooms become secret, documents sealed (by Ben Fox, Associated Press, San Francisco Gate, 10.4.01)

Gas Peddled: Exaggerating the Chemical and Biological Terrorism Threat (by George Smith, Village Voice, 10.3.01)

Eavesdrop Now, Reassess Later? (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 10.1.01)

Leave it to the Professionals (Minimum Security cartoon by Stephanie McMillan, 9.30.01)

Anti-Terror Bill Not Done Yet (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 9.29.01)

Armed guards get go-ahead on US flights (by Will Knight, NewScientist.com, 9.27.01)

Bush Law-Enforcement Plan Troubles Both Right and Left (by Robin Toner, New York Times, 9.28.01)

City is now a "police state" (By Al Guart, et al., New York Post, 9.27.01)

Why Liberty Suffers in Wartime (by Declan McCullagh, Wired News, 9.24.01)

Hackers face life imprisonment under 'Anti-Terrorism' Act (by Kevin Poulsen, SecurityFocus.com, 9.23.01)

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Uniting and Strengthening America Act (9.21.01 press release from Senator Patrick Leahy [D-Vt])

Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001: Dept. of Justice Section-by-Section Analysis (from Electronic Frontier Foundation website, 9.19.01)

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CONTEXTUALIZING 9.11.01

One of the things that has troubled me so much since the bombings is the profound and widespread misunderstanding by Americans of "why the terrorists hate us." Although their acts were evil, they were not necessarily irrational nor without political context. These items offer historical perspective on Middle East, other relevant regions of the world, and past American policy and interventions in these places. The official US intelligence on Osama bin Laden, the Taliban, and terrorism before 9.11.01 can be gleaned from the National Security Agency's September 11th Source Books. Great Britain's official perspective, "11 September 2001: the official response," offers a broader look at the political and humanitarian context in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and other Middle Eastern nations. Also insightful is the Asian Perspectives on America's Crisis website (created by AsiaSource.org), which provides news, editorials, and resources (e.g., transcripts of official government statements) on what the attacks mean for Asian nations, including important Middle Eastern states.

Francis Fukuyama, theorist of the "end of history," argues that the events surrounding 9.11.01 still support his theory. Gustavo González reports on concerns of anti-globalisation activists that they face demonization for sustaining their pre-9.11.01 criticism of US "hegemony." Robert Fisk of the London Independent, offers some unique insights as a Middle East correspondant who has interviewed Osama bin Laden, once in the Sudan and twice in Afghanistan (a search of the Independent's website for "Robert Fisk " will turn up other useful reports and analyses). Thanks to Rachel Gugelberger for calling to my attention the very prescient (written almost 3 months before September 11) article by Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf. For more commentaries from scholars and experts, you might check out The Edge's "What Now?" website. To hear the responses from noted peacemakers, go to TheCommunity.com's "The Peacemakers Speak" website.

Guns Won't Win the Afghan War (by John J. Mearsheimer, New York Times, 11.4.01)

Beijing produces videos glorifying terrorist attacks on 'arrogant' US (by Damien McElroy, Telegraph.co.uk, 11.4.01)

Pakistan and India 'one terror strike from war' (by Peter Popham, The Independent, 11.3.01)

Operation Enduring Avarice: How the GOP saved us from terrorism with a tax cut for the rich (by Arianna Huffington, Working for Change, 11.1.01)

Americans should ask, 'Why us?' (by Raid Qusti, The Frontier Post [Pakistan], 10.30.01

Hidden Agenda behind War on Terror (by John Pilger, Mirror.co.uk, 10.30.01)

A Need for Honest Answers (by Boris Kagarlitsky, Moscow Times, 10.30.01)

Grand old profiteering (Boulder Daily Camera editorial, 10.30.01)

The global policeman must play by a new set of rules (by Anthony Dworkin, New Statesman, 10.29.01)

North Korea drags its feet (by Caroline Gluck, BBC News, 10.29.01)

Eliminate the tools of future terrorism (by Mikhail Gorbachev, Boston Globe, 10.28.01)

For Trade Protesters, 'Slower, Sadder Songs' (by Leslie Wayne, New York Times, 10.28.01)

Our gluttony fuels anger (by Clay Evans, Boulder Daily Camera, 10.28.01)

Arms sales return to haunt us (by Christopher Brauchli, Boulder Daily Camera, 10.27.01)

The Road Ahead: It's Only Going to Get Worse (by Doug Ireland, In These Times, 10.26.01)

It's Time to Ask "Borderless" Corporations: Which Side Are You On? (by William Greider, Common Dreams, 10.26.01)

Farewell to democracy in Pakistan (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.26.01)

Time for a policy rethink (by Mohamed Hakki, Al-Ahram Weekly Online, 10.25.01)

Long Before War, Green Berets Built Military Ties to Uzbekistan (by C.J. Chivers, New York Times, 10.25.01)

Unintended Consequences (by John Tirman, AlterNet, 10.24.01)

War Frenzy (by Sunera Thobani, Rabble, 10.24.01)

Talks with Islamic scientists 'welcome' (by Alex Kirby, BBC News, 10.24.01)

Privileged Children Of Millionaires Square Off On World Stage (from The Onion, 10.24.01)

With U.S. self-interest, don't expect change (by Jeffrey Simpson, Toronto Globe & Mail, 10.24.01)

Weighing World Trade, Terrorism and Democracy (by John Buell, Bangor Daily News, in CommonDreams.org, 10.23.01)

As the refugees crowd the borders, we'll be blaming someone else (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.23.01)

Blind Faith: W.'s Unreliable Adviser on Islam (by Franklin Foer, The New Republic, 10.22.01)

Ramadan deadline looms for US action (by Jonathan Morris, BBC News, 10.21.01)

Nervous Tehran has a wider role to play (by Fred Halliday, The Observer, 10.21.01)

Who's having a good war? (by Heather Connon, The Observer, 10.21.01)

Moderate Muslims Fear Their Message Is Being Ignored (by Douglas Jehl, New York Times, 10.21.01)

Afghan and Pakistani Tribe Lives by Its Own Set of Rules (by Rick Bragg, New York Times, 10.21.01)

The High, Hidden Cost of Saudi Arabian Oil (by Neela Banerjee, New York Times, 10.21.01)

Oil Money Pulls Sudan Out of Its Isolation and Toward Uncertainty (by Norimitsu Onishi, New York Times, 10.21.01)

Why Peshawar's Youth are Tinder for Islamic Extremism (by Peter Maas, New York Times Magazine, 10.21.01)

New brothers in arms - and cash and intelligence (by Jamie Wilson, et al., Guardian Unlimited, 10.20.01)

Saddam's surprise message (by Caroline Hawley, BBC News, 10.20.01)

Turkey steps to the fore (by Firdevs Robinson, BBC News, 10.20.01)

Central America Reminded of Its Own Era of Conflict (by David Gonzalez, New York Times, 10.20.01)

Who the Afghans Are and What Motivates Them: A Reading List (from New York Times, 10.20.01)

Bin Laden: Islamists' new figurehead (by Roger Hardy, BBC News, 10.19.01)

Don't blame Saddam for this one (by Scott Ritter, Guardian Unlimited, 10.19.01)

'Anti-Americanism' Has Roots in U.S. Foreign Policy (by Mushahid Hussain, Inter Press Service, from CommonDreams.org, 10.19.01)

The Unsayable Must Be Said (by David Hirst, Toronto Globe & Mail, from CommonDreams.org, 10.18.01)

Hearts and Minds: Avoiding a New Cold War (by Rahul Mahajan and Robert Jensen, NoWarCollective.com, 10.18.01)

US spares Taliban to keep floodgates closed on rebels (by Paul McGeough, Sydney Morning Herald, 10.17.01)

Israel's 'new era' (by Martin Asser, BBC News, 10.17.01)

Promises, promises (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.17.01)

Allies Are Cautious On 'Bush Doctrine' (by Karen DeYoung, Washington Post, 10.16.01)

Congressman: U.S. Set Up Anti-Taliban to be Slaughtered (by Jared Israel, emperors-clothes.com, 10.16.01)

Kashmir threat to coalition (by Daniel Lak, BBC News, 10.16.01)

Does this war show that Nato no longer has a serious military role? (by Charles Grant, The Independent, 10.16.01)

Who will pay for the war? (by Jonathan Duffy, BBC News, 10.16.01)

Iran Said to Agree to Help U.S. With Rescues (by Elaine Sciolino and Neal A. Lewis, New York Times, 10.16.01)

Saudi Royals and Reality (by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, 10.16.01)

For the Palestinians, the Terrorism Crisis Has Two Faces (by Hussein Ibish and Ali Abunimah, Los Angeles Times, 10.15.01)

Powell's Pakistan challenge (by John Leyne, BBC News, 10.15.01)

An America above the law (by Jonathan Power, Boston Globe, 10.15.01)

We are all victims now (by Gary Younge, Guardian Unlimited, 10.15.01)

Yes, there is an effective alternative to the bombing of Afghanistan (by Tariq Ali, The Independent, 10.15.01)

Slaughter of the innocent bolsters view that this is war against Islam (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.15.01)

Ex-Kuwaiti Official Assails His Nation for Weak Support of U.S. (by Judith Miller, New York Times, 10.15.01)

Jordan's unease over air strikes (by Kim Ghattas, BBC News, 10.14.01)

The Despair Beneath the Arab World's Growing Rage (by Susan Sachs, New York Times, 10.14.01)

Fears, Again, of Oil Supplies at Risk (by Neela Banerjee, New York Times, 10.14.01)

Rebuilding What War Has Destroyed (by Joseph Kahn, New York Times, 10.14.01)

Sweeping a Tale Under Gulf Land's Pretty Rug (by Warren Hoge, New York Times, 10.14.01)

When Golden Arches Are Too Red, White and Blue (by David Barboza, New York Times, 10.14.01)

A timely reprimand on biological warfare (by Christopher Brauchli, Boulder Daily Camera, 10.13.01)

Afghanistan's scholarly soldiers (by Owen Bennett-Jones, BBC News, 10.13.01)

Living in exile (by Robin Denselow, BBC News, 10.13.01)

Why not a real war on terrorism? (by Elijah Wald, TomPaine.com, 10.12.01)

Why the U.S. is losing the propaganda war (by Eric Boehlert, Salon, 10.12.01)

What comes next for Afghanistan? (by Jonathan Marcus, BBC News, 10.12.01)

Afghan fighters' shifting loyalties (by Peter Greste, BBC News, 10.12.01)

Why this war in Afghanistan will redraw the map of Europe (by Timothy Garton Ash, The Independent, 10.12.01)

Egypt is a nation caught between Islam and the West (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.12.01)

Thoughts in the Presence of Fear: A post-Sept. 11 manifesto for environmentalists (by Wendell Berry, Grist Magazine, 10.11.01)

Diamond in the Rubble: The political reshuffling in the U.S. could help the environment (by Keith Schneider, Grist Magazine, 10.11.01)

Prospects for a post-Taliban Afghanistan (by Paul Burton, Jane's Sentinel, 10.11.01)

Uzbekistan eyes rewards for support (by Peter Greste, BBC News, 10.11.01)

The west has won (by Francis Fukuyama, Guardian Unlimited, 10.11.01)

Lurching towards catastrophe: Bush and Blair have become Bin Laden's recruiting sergeants (by Seumas Milne, Guardian Unlimited, 10.11.01)

India, Pakistan Jockey for Influence in Afghanistan (by Praful Bidwai, Inter Press Service, 10.10.01)

Pakistan's fault lines (by Daniel Lak, BBC News, 10.10.01)

Bailout Showed the Weight of a Mighty, and Fast-Acting, Lobby (by Leslie Wayne and Michael Moss, New York Times, 10.10.01)

U.S. Will Have Favors to Return (by Associated Press, Wired News, 10.9.01)

Say what you want, but this war is illegal (by Michael Mandel, Toronto Globe & Mail, 10.9.01)

A Different Kind of Wartime Economy (by Richard W. Stevenson, New York Times, 10.9.01)

Install another regime and face a new war, says exiled leader (by Hamish McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald, 10.8.01)

Black lawmakers should stand firm as voices of dissent (by Clarence Lusane, Baltimore Sun, 10.8.01)

Our friends are killers, crooks and torturers (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.8.01)

Arab Regimes Breed Discontent and Anger at U.S., Analysts Say (by T. Christian Miller, Los Angeles Times, 10.8.01)

The Limits of Compassion (by Ruben Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 10.7.01)

Why people hate America? (by Karamat Khan, Paknews.com, 10.6.01)

The oil behind Bush and Son's campaigns (by Ranjit Devraj, Asia Times, 10.6.01)

US and Britain accused of creating heroin trail (by Raymond Whitaker, The Independent, 10.6.01)

World Criminal Court Welcomed (from Guardian Unlimited, 10.5.01)

Yes, but What? (by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, 10.5.01)

The Arabs will ensure they receive a political reward for their support (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.4.01)

The high price we must pay for Russia's help (from The Independent, 10.4.01)

Americans must now feel what the rest of us have known (by Ariel Dorfman, The Independent, 10.4.01)

11 September 2001: the official response (Great Britain House of Commons Library Research Paper 01/72, 10.3.01 [pdf download, 1.3 MB])

Just who are our allies in Afghanistan? (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.3.01)

Attacks Take Heavy Toll on World's Poor (by Warren Vieth, Los Angeles Times, 10.2.01)

U.S. Groups Protest Removal of Arms Sales Curbs (by Thalif Deen, Inter Press Service News Agency, 10.2.01)

Attacks on US Change Course of Globalization (by Gustavo González, Inter Press Service News Agency, 10.1.01)

Defense to Give New Life to Tech Industry (by James Flanigan, Los Angeles Times, 9.30.01)

Inside Al-Qaeda: a window into the world of militant Islam and the Afghani alumni (by Richard Engel, Janes.com, 9.28.01)

America's Crisis: Asian Perspectives (from AsiaSource website, 9.01)

Saudis turn their backs on the Taliban, a monster they helped create (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 9.26.01)

An Abandoned Afghanistan (by Thomas E. Gouttierre, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 9.28.01)

Anti-Semitism and Anti-Americanism (by Bernard Wasserstein, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 9.28.01)

Threat of US strikes passed to Taliban weeks before NY attack (by Jonathan Steele, et al., Guardian Unlimited, 9.22.01)

The September 11th Source Books, vol. 1: Terrorism and U.S. Policy (edited by Jeffrey Richelson and Michael L. Evans, National Security Archive, 9.21.01)

Hama Rules (by Thomas L. Friedman, New York Times, 9.21.01)

World Trade Center Non-US Death Toll Outnumber American (by Wayne Madsen, posted to cryptome.org, 9.19.01) [NOTE: scroll down to bottom]

Osama bin Laden: The godfather of terror? (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 9.15.01)

The WTC Attack, Sep 11 2001 (by Susan Sontag, New Yorker, 9.14.01)

Osama Bin Laden: How the U.S. Helped Midwife a Terrorist (by Ahmed Rashid, The Public I, 9.13.01)

excerpt from 9.11.01 letter by Michael Moore

Limbs of no body: World's indifference to the Afghan tragedy (by Mohsen Makhmalbaf, The Iranian, 6.20.01)

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EXAMINING AMERICA'S RESPONSE

Beyond the apparently near-uniform desire for retaliation of some sort (about 90% on September 26th, according to the Gallup Organization), the response of Americans to September 11, 2001 has been a complex thing. In separate essays, George Lakoff and Robert Slotkin analyze the metaphors at the root of national calls for retaliation. Robert Ross offers some data that contextualize the frequent comparison to Pearl Harbor. Many of us made sense of the bombings by referring to various movies; Slavoj Zizek addresses this frame of mind from the perspective of a Central European for whom the experience of terrorism has been far less unreal. Of special note: the US Department of Defense has assembled an official website for educational information on Muslim life in America. For those interested in the arts, New York City video artist Laurie Halsey Brown has created an Online Forum on Art NOW featuring discussion of how the meaning of art and the role of artist has changed since 9.11.01.

9/11: The Psychological Aftermath (from Scientific American, 11.12.01)

Bush Makes a Pitch for Teaching Patriotism (by Dana Milbank, Washington Post, 11.2.01)

Defending Civilization: How Our Universities Are Failing America and What Can Be Done About It (by Jerry L. Martin and Anne D. Neal, a report of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, 11.01 [PDF download])

Bush has kids' hearts -- and piggy banks: Some parents, teachers wary of program (by Meredith May, San Francisco Chronicle, 10.31.01)

Storm brews over Sept. 11 funds (by William Walker, Toronto Star, 10.29.01)

Many Blacks Have Doubts. Here's Why (by Jonetta Rose Barras, Washington Post, 10.28.01)

U.S. fringe groups praising terrorist actions (by Karen Brandon, Chicago Tribune, 10.27.01)

Lots of Interest, Little Action at Recruiting Office (by Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times, 10.26.01)

Pledging to instill patriotism (from FreedomForum.org, 10.26.01)

Number of New York dead may be 2,000 less than official tally (by Michael Ellison, Guardian Unlimited, 10.26.01)

H-1B workers wary of terrorist backlash (by Rachel Konrad, CNET News.com, 10.24.01)

Give Peace a Website (by Jeffrey Benner, Wired News, 10.22.01)

Professing hard truths (by Michael Schwalbe, Raleigh News & Observer, 10.21.01)

The Return of Teach-Ins (New York Times editorial, 10.21.01)

The Pulse of Patriotism (by Richard Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 10.21.01)

The Limits of Waving a Flag in a Time of War (by Carolyn See, Los Angeles Times, 10.21.01)

The last shoe has dropped: the end times are here (by Martha Sawyer Allen, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10.20.01)

Paranoia Runs Deep (by Steven Mikulan, LA Weekly, 10.19-25.01)

'Pushing' Pills to the Anxious (by Kristen Philipkoski, Wired News, 10.18.01)

Something "evil" this way comes (by Scott Morschhauser, Online Journal, 10.17.01)

Tech visa workers feel heat from attacks, layoffs (by Jon Swartz, USA Today, 10.17.01)

Militia groups see a revival (by Craig Welch, Seattle Times, 10.16.01)

Facing the Enemy Within (by Heather Wokusch, Common Dreams, 10.16.01)

Doubt assaults free speech (by Diane Lederman, Massachusetts Union-News, 10.15.01)

Condemnation Without Absolutes (by Stanley Fish, New York Times, 10.15.01)

Peace is Indivisible: Studs Terkel on the American Spirit (interview by Richard Steele, In These Times, 10.29.01)

Stopping the War: The Peace Movement Returns (by Geov Parrish, In These Times, 10.29.01)

Liberals Stuck in Scold Mode (by Marc Cooper, Los Angeles Times, 10.14.01)

Anthrax anxiety -- or panic attack? (by Arthur Allen, Salon.com, 10.13.01)

Grief from coast to coast (by David Willis, BBC News, 10.13.01)

The naivete in asking 'Why do they hate us so much?' (by Kenneth Zapp, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10.13.01)

Listen up: God isn't Santa (by Michael Valpy, Toronto Globe & Mail, 10.13.01)

Feel the Draft (by Marc Cooper, LA Weekly, 10.12.01)

Peace movement needs to update its message (by Lance Dickie, Seattle Times, 10.12.01)

The Commons of the Tragedy: How the Internet was used by millions after the terror attacks to grieve, console, share news, and debate the country's response (Pew Internet Project report, 10.10.01)

I Lost My Brother on 9-11; Does He Matter? (by David Potorti, AlterNet, 10.10.01)

The Bravery of Barbara Less (by Randolph T. Holhut, American Reporter, reprinted in PsyOpNews.com, 10.9.01)

An Alternative to Silence (by Paul Rogat Loeb, Common Dreams News Center, 10.9.01)

The Age of Irony Isn't Over After All (by Michiko Kakutani, New York Times,10.9.01)

No Sympathy for Terrorists, but Warnings About Overreaction (by Richard Bernstein, New York Times, 10.6.01)

Surveys Show Public Grieving, Girding for 'War On Terror' (Public Agenda special edition: "Terrorism," updated 10.5.01)

Fed by Intrigue, the Myth of Bin Laden Grows (by Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 10.5.01)

In dire need of a patriotism of dissent (by Lloyd J. Averill, Chicago Tribune, 10.3.01)

Is Normal The Best We Can Do? (by Arianna Huffington, 10.2.01)

Gamers Blow bin Laden Away (from Wired News, 10.2.01)

D.C. Protesters March for Peace (by David Ho, Washington Post, 9.29.01)

No "us" or "them": An Iranian-American tries to explain (by Zara Houshmand, The Iranian, 9.26.01)

'United We Stand' -- Or Else (by Associated Press, Wired News, 9.26.01)

'Mommy Liberty' Packs a Gun (by Leander Kahney, Wired News, 9.26.01)

American Public Opinion Following the Terrorist Attacks (from Gallup News Service, 9.26.01)

September 11, 2001 (by George Lakoff [rich text format download])

Made in China: Workers in a Shanghai factory struggle to keep up with the sudden demand for US flags (photo by Eugene Hoshiko [AP], from Guardian Unlimited, 9.24.01)

Compassion, Not Vengeance (by Howard Zinn, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 9.28.01)

Danger in the New Solemnity (by Mark Crispin Miller, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 9.28.01)

Our Myths of Choice (by Robert Slotkin, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 9.28.01)

Terrorist Urban Legends (from NPR, 9.27.01)

How Did Spending Become Our Patriotic Duty? (by Robert Reich, Washington Post, 9.23.01)

Why Americans can't find Islam on the map (by Eric Boehlert, Salon, 9.21.01)

Documenting the Numbers (by Robert J.S. Ross, PhD, posted to COMURB_R21 listserv, 9.20.01)

The View from Smalltown, USA (by Chuck Palahniuk, Sunday Herald, 9.16.01)

Welcome to the Desert of the Real! (by Slavoj Zizek, posted to Nettime listserv, 9.14.01)

Transcript of Pat Robertson's Interview with Jerry Falwell from the 9.13.01 edition of "The 700 Club" (from People for the American Way website)

They Can't See Why They are Hated (by Seumas Milne, Guardian Unlimited, 9.13.01)

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REVIEWING THE MEDIA

This site contains articles and editorials about news and entertainment media coverage of the events, conflicts, and characters surrounding 9.11.01. It focuses largely on US media, since their coverage is likely to have the greatest effect on American opinion about the response to 9.11.01. However, Arabic television news channel al-Jazeera has also made news for its broadcasting of bin Laden's response to the October retaliation as well as its reporter's challenge of British prime minister Tony Blair's anti-terrorism policy.

The Hollywood front (by Michael Ryan and Joe Leydon, San Francisco Examiner, 11.11.01)

A Poser For the Press (by Murray Hiebert, Far Eastern Economic Review, 11.8.01)

Al-Jazeera TV faces ban for inciting hatred (by Sean O'Neill, Telegraph.co.uk, 11.5.01)

Who is winning the war of lies? (by Andrew Gumbel, The Independent, 11.4.01)

Allied but different: The British media is much more critical of war effort (by Geov Parrish, Working For Change, 11.2.01)

CNN Chief Orders 'Balance' in War News (by Howard Kurtz, Washington Post, 10.31.01)

'Tell Them Nothing Till It's Over And Then Tell Them Who Won' (by Phillip Knightly, The Public I, 10.31.01)

Viewers greet Sept 11 TV coverage with cynicism (by Claire Cozens, Guardian Unlimited, 10.26.01)

Newsweek censored in Pakistan (from TheHoot.org, 10.25.01)

Bush relies on advertising experts to win over Muslims (by William Douglas, Sydney Morning Herald, 10.25.01)

When the Press Is in the Dark, So Is Everyone (by John Balzar, Los Angeles Times, 10.24.01)

E.T.: SPECIAL EDITION... Evidence of Alteration [following 9.11.01] (from DVDSewer.com, 10.24.01)

Media are out of step with democracy (by Salim Muwakkil, Chicago Tribune, 10.22.01)

The war on journalism (by Paul McMasters, FreedomForum.org, 10.22.01)

All Anthrax, All the Time (from TomPaine.com, 10.22.01)

Reporters Committee asks government leaders to abide by First Amendment principles (press release from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, 10.17.01)

The Propaganda War (by Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad, Ph.D., IslamOnline.net, 10.17.01)

'Good News' for Arabs on MSNBC (by Farhad Manjoo, Wired News, 10.17.01)

Chicken Little Media (by Michael Kelly, Washington Post, 10.17.01)

British broadcasters refuse to censor video statements by bin Laden (by Gene Mater, freedomforum.org, 10.16.01)

At U.S. Request, Networks Agree to Edit Future bin Laden Tapes (by Bill Carter and Felicity Barringer, New York Times, 10.11.01)

Behind Al-Jazeera: Exclusive interview with producer Ehmed Shouly (by Paulina Leiva, Terra, 10.10.01)

War of the airwaves (by Barnaby Mason, BBC News, 10.10.11)

TV station defends Bin Laden coverage (from BBC News, 10.10.01)

In Movies, Terrorism Is Making Government Look Good (by Bernard Weinraub, New York Times, 10.10.01)

You shoot. We ask the questions (by Adrian Hamilton, The Independent, 10.9.01)

Lost in the rhetorical fog of war (by Robert Fisk, The Independent, 10.9.01)

Was something lost in the translation of Osama bin Laden's October 7 remarks? (from Unknown News, 10.8.01)

Feds enlist Hollywood for spook theories (by Claude Brodesser, Variety, reprinted in Yahoo News, 10.8.01)

Afghanistan, on 50 Websites a Day (by Julia Scheeres, Wired News, 10.8.01)

"Terrorist": Media spin revolves around the word (by Norman Solomon, San Francisco Bay Guardian, 10.5.01)

Debka: Conflict's Drudge Report? (by Noah Shachtman, Wired News, 10.5.01)

Hollywood Struggles to Create Villains for a New Climate (by Rick Lyman, New York Times, 10.3.01)

A Costly Wait for War (from ShowBizData.com, 10.2.01)

MTV, Turning Serious, Helps Its Generation Cope (by Jim Rutenberg, New York Times, 10.2.01)

Never Trust Anyone Who Says "Afghani" (by Timothy Noah, Slate, 10.1.01)

Film chiefs search for softer subjects (by Duncan Campbell, The Observer, 9.30.01)

Nightly News Glosses Over Anti-Terrorism Act (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting action alert, 9.27.01)

Onion's Bitter Tears of Irony (by Jeffrey Benner, Wired News, 9.27.01)

Networks Sensitive to Post-Attack Programming (by Corie Brown, Los Angeles Times, 9.26.01)

Power Brokers Showing Real Sincerity in Land of Make-Believe (by Claudia Eller, Los Angeles Times, 9.26.01)

The media's Islamic blind spot (by Eric Boehlert, Salon, 9.25.01)

What the Middle East papers say (by Derek Brown, The Guardian, 9.25.01)

Media March to War (Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting press release, 9.17.01)

REBUILDING CITIES

For many, the interest in what New York and other cities will look like after September 11, 2001 stems from the concern about how the West will react to the terrorists' apparent aim of instilling fear about our everyday ways of life. Architects, planners and urbanists have other intellectual interests in this issue, which doesn't mean they're necessarily esoteric. I don't agree with the "architectural determinism" expressed in some of these pieces, but I've presented them here anyway because they're already having an influence on policy circles. For some very tentative musings by people paid to think about cities, take a look at the "Reactions to the Destruction of the World Trade Center" by the Community Web of the Community and Urban Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association.

Skyscrapers Are Here to Stay, Says Panel of Experts (from New York Times, 11.12.01)

What to Build (panel discussion moderated by Terence Riley, New York Times Magazine, 11.11.01)

The Future Of Cities: The Absurdity of Modernism (interview with Leon Krier, by Nikos Salingaros, Planetizen, 11.05.01)

Lower Manhattan: Looking Back and Moving Forward (from the Mumford Center, University at Albany, 11.02.01)

Design of Newer Buildings Reduces Bioterrorism Risk (by James Glanz, New York Times, 10.29.01)

Power, Imagination and New York's Future (by Herbert Muschamp, New York Times, 10.28.01)

A Toxic Nightmare At Disaster Site (by Juan Gonzalez, New York Daily News, 10.26.01)

A Skyline Is Conspicuous by an Absence (by Peter Marks, New York Times, 10.24.01)

Tenants desert Empire State Building (by David Schepp, BBC News, 10.22.01)

Terror fight takes toll on stressed city (by Gady A. Epstein, Baltimore Sun, 10.21.01)

Terrorists have also threatened urban recovery (by Clarence Page, Chicago Tribune, 10.21.01)

Private Parachutes: Entrepreneur designs for high-rise disasters (by John Gallagher, Detroit Free-Press, 10.19.01)

Cities Report Stress to Local Economies and City Finances Since September 11; Nearly Half of Larger Cities Will Seek Federal or State Aid (press release from the National League of Cities, 10.18.01)

New York luring back visitors (by Joseph Winter, BBC News, 10.17.01)

In New York, the exception has become the rule (by Alissa Quart, The Independent, 10.16.01)

A City Changed Forever? Maybe Not (by Kirk Johnson, New York Times, 10.7.01)

Taking Account of the Dead, Feeling Weight of History (by Eric Lipton, New York Times, 10.6.01)

Tradeoff by Environmentalists on Rebuilding (by Kirk Johnson, New York Times, 10.5.01)

Despite heightened security, Sears Tower occupants remain uneasy (by Rudolph Bush, Chicago Tribune, 10.3.01)

Now, New York Faces $60B Disaster Tab (by William Sherman and Brian Kates, New York Daily News, 10.1.01)

Fathoming the Towers' Structural Failure (by Wade Roush, Technology Review, 9.27.01)

What's to soar from ashes? (by Evan Osnos, Chicago Tribune, 9.26.01)

Reactions to the Destruction of the World Trade Center (from the Community Web of the Community and Urban Sociology Section of the American Sociological Association, 9.12-20.01)

Build Soaring Memorial, says Donald Trump (by Neil Travis, New York Post, 9.18.01)

The End of Tall Buildings (by James Howard Kunstler and Nikos A. Salingaros, Planetizen.com, 9.17.01)

All Cities Will Change (by Peter Marcuse, posted to H-Urban listserv, 9.16.01)

A statement on terrorist architecture (by Benjamin Bratton, 9.11.01)

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