The Two Towers

No, this isn't about the second installment of the (kick-ass) Lord of the Rings trilogy. The following may or may not be a little offensive to a few readers, I'll be touching on a few sensitive issues.

We're now into the month of September, a month that will forever live in infamy. Everyone knows what happened in September 2001...

I recall the day, I remember watching the news as it happened. I was at home, flipping through channels when I caught the first crash, and much like many others, I thought "holy shit, that's bad flying." But then there was the others, and then the thinking shifted to "what the hell?"

And unfortunately for many caught in the tragedy, my second thought was all-too accurate. Watching "survivors" jump from heights I can't really look down from was painful and sickening. Listening to the tape conversation of the man on the plane, his last words to his wife on his answering machine (she was in the shower) was heart-wrenching. All the CS parodies (Terrorists win!) were a little excessive.

There's all the controversy and conspiracy surrounding this event till this day, of course. The Bush family was at one point known confidantes and allies with members closely linked to the attacks on the American people. The FBI and CIA reputedly received advanced warning from a plethora of sources, American and foreign, a long long time before the catastrophe. US airports had been accused of lax security for ages (and still are).

Pick up Michael Moore's book "Stupid White Men", a brilliant read where he takes an insightful (and funny and cynical) look at the American government, its people and their way of life. Of course, a good portoin of the book deals with the 9/11 incident and naturally most of it amounts to Bush-beating, but if you read it, you'll understand alot better than if I try to explain anything with my cumbersome methods.

But enough about 9/11, I'm actually more focused on the events that are more or les directly the result of the tragedy.

After 9/11, the "War on Terrorism" kicked off. Yipee. And the "Coalition Forces", which of course mainly consisted of the American troops and their (butt-kissing) British counterparts marched on to the Middle East. First, Afghanistan, then to Iraq, which they "liberated".

I really don't understand how you can justify war for peace. Especially when most of what you're doing is blowing up rural towns and settlements. Tit for tat? An eye for an eye? The invasion of Iraq, of course, was originally the noble intention of ridding Saddam Hussein of his Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

The above accusation, that the Iraqi dictator had in his possession WMD's, was in the end proven false, as stated by neutral Un representatives and inspectors, but being the PR-man that he is, President Bush changed the reason for going to war in mid-campaign, and the American soldiers were now on a mission to "liberate the pople".

Now, Saddam isn't a saint. He'll never be near the top of Santa's Christmas list. But if you want to do something, do it right. You're going to war and your own troops don't even know why the hell for. That's bulshit, pure and simple, ladies and gentlemen.

And even now, when Saddam has been "captured" and the Iraqi people have "elected their own government", you still have the Americans occupying the area. You still hear of dozens of young men killed everyday by some random grenade or land mine, or better yet, poor logisitcal planning by their own commanders which leads to their own troops firing at each other.

What the hell?

And you watch BBC, because CNN will never air these clips, and see crying Iraqi women, wailing because the Americans have (once again) bombed a wrong target, and hit a large building that is publicly known as a preschool, instead of some shady militia hideout.

Bravo.

Of course, the majority of Americans I know and talk to (online) aren't advocates of the war at all. Most of them agree, they are a proud and strong country led by a buffoon who can't spell or talk without a guide. I don't mean to bash them at all.

What say you, supporters of this war? What makes you any better than the ones who crashed the planes into the World Trade Centre in New York? What makes your killing of innocents justified, and theirs so despicable?

The Singaporeans that are reading this, switch to the Discovery Channel in between editions of Singapore Idol and the EPL. Watch "Inside 911" and other specials airing over the next few weeks, and cringe. And wonder, "What the hell?"