Disproving Sept. 11's foolhardy myths

One of the most poignant cartoons of mid-September depicted a travel agent asking a woman where she would like to go, and she replied, "Sept. 10th." This all too human impulse is as dangerous as it is impossible. The comfortable cocoon we once inhabited lies shredded at ground zero, but still wanting to return to business as usual is tempting.

With the turning of the page on a most tragic year and the successful completion of one objective of the war against terrorism (the eradication of the Taliban), it is reasonable to assess what we have learned. While Afghanistan has historically been a graveyard for foreigners, it is now a cemetery for smashed delusions. It is well to review some of these debunked myths:

1) Osama didn't do it: With the smoking gun tape, even the juries that let off O.J. Simpson and the Rodney King cops would have to convict. Anyone who still thinks bin Laden is not guilty of 9-11 should have a mental examination. But more important is holding accountable all those who spread lies right after Sept. 11, blaming the CIA, the Mossad or a Zionist conspiracy for the attacks--lies of a piece with aspersions such as India's staging the attack on its parliament or the hijacking of the Indian Airlines plane two years ago. Each person who spread those despicable and absurd canards should apologize to every CIA agent, Jew and Indian official and voluntarily abstain from commenting on matters of policy indefinitely. This is critical as shirking responsibility and shifting blame perpetuates trouble; it is high time that everyone acknowledge that Islamic fundamentalists have a virtual monopoly on suicide-bombing terrorism (the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka being the exception that proves the rule).

2) Islamic fundamentalism is no different from other fundamentalism: Every country and religion has its murderers and fanatics. Israel has Baruch Goldstein and Yigal Amir, those who preach ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and murdered Yitzhak Rabin. India has Nathuram Godse and Bal Thackeray, killers of Gandhi and countless others in the fires of communal violence. The West has the Ku Klux Klan and various militias, and, in the past, fundamentalists responsible for slavery, genocide of native Americans, inquisitions and pogroms. But relativism is a coward's device. In 2002, radical Islamic fundamentalism is much more dangerous, for it is a witch's brew of aspirations of global conquest, a uniquely callous disregard for life, plentiful oil money, mob passions, preachers who spew hate and young men enticed by promises of 72 virgins in Paradise. Meanwhile, other fundamentalist groups are local, pariahs, laughingstocks or checked by democratic forms of government.

3) Terrorists are brave: Right after Sept. 11, there was a controversy about whether the real cowards were the terrorists or Americans, the thrust being that it takes courage to gun a 767 into a tower. I wrestled with this for days until I realized that it is neither brave to attack defenseless people without warning nor to avoid responsibility for your actions. Thuggery lured by the promise of celestial virgins is not courage, which is why the appetite for death that is the terrorists' principle asset is ultimately worthless. Suicide bombing is "glamorous," but courting death leads only to oblivion. Courage is not killing yourself to kill others but about running into burning buildings to save others and about improving this world rather than embrace homicide or suicide.

4) The United States would mindlessly slaughter Afghans: Although any loss of civilian life is tragic, the United States did not vaporize Afghanistan. Loony leftists equating the United States with the Taliban make an offensive comparison in desperate need of logic's acquaintance: The Taliban murdered 1.5 million Afghans in the last five years, and if America is to be blamed for inevitable civilian casualties of war, then it should be credited with stopping an annual slaughter of 300,000 Afghans, let alone the ouster of a regime that destroyed historic Buddhist statues, forced Hindus to wear yellow stars and oppressed women and minorities. U.S. action also allowed the priceless activities of letting women have sunshine on their faces, kids fly kites, men shave and music be played.

5) The United States is a paper tiger: Two decades of retreat and half-baked responses by U.S. leaders in the Beirut bombing, Somalia, the first World Trade Center bombing, the Khobar Towers attack, the embassy bombings and the USS Cole bombing led al-Qaeda to make the same mistake as the Japanese at Pearl Harbor.

6) Islamic fundamentalists are invincible: The terrorists then made the Soviet error--they believed their own press and lost touch with reality. After defeating the Russians and bleeding us, they thought an act of war would cripple America. We saw mobs demonstrate against America in many Islamic countries, cheering bin Laden neither out of a thirst for blood nor grievance, but out of the glee that one feels when a new and daring "underdog" bloodies the "top dog." There were dire predictions about the "Arab street"--thousands of recruits joining bin Laden and how 10 men would replace anyone who was killed. Once the United States became decisive, the Taliban and al-Qaeda were smashed, the mobs collided with reality and dispersed, and governments followed. Resolve gets results.