To respond to the article by Ellis: Ellis says: My first question: where does Sept. 11 rank in the grand sweep of American history as a threat to national security?
Ellis doesn't think it made the top tier. That is his opinion. Here's where he thinks it ranks....
Here is my version of the top tier: the War for Independence, where defeat meant no United States of America; the War of 1812, when the national capital was burned to the ground; the Civil War, which threatened the survival of the Union; World War II, which represented a totalitarian threat to democracy and capitalism; the cold war, most specifically the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, which made nuclear annihilation a distinct possibility.
Again his opinion. Mine is a bit different. In the early times, we did not have nuclear weapons. We did not have ways to deliver them. In the early days of our country, we did not have to worry about a handful of men causing the deaths of several thousand people, nor of causing trillions of dollars of damage to the economy.
Actually, in the Revolutionary War, there were just over 4,000 people killed in the war. There were over 13,000 killed as POW's in the British POW ships anchored in our harbors.
Ellis said:
Sept. 11 does not rise to that level of threat because, while it places lives and lifestyles at risk, it does not threaten the survival of the American republic, even though the terrorists would like us to believe so.
Dale, I completely disagree with his statement and conclusion here. The type of terrorism we have seen does, in fact, threaten the survival of the American republic. As a matter of fact, IMO, it threatens WORLD survival.
Can you just imagine what horrors would occur if a few cans of any bio weapons scattered around the capitals of the world would do? Say....smallpox? Or influenza that has no immunity known at present? etc....etc, etc... Ever wonder what type of chemical and bio weapons "Dr Death in Iraq" was dreaming up? Who else might be doing the same thing???
Ellis says:
My second question is this: What does history tell us about our earlier responses to traumatic events?
Personally, I'm glad the Patriots of the American Revolution decided they wanted to be free of the yoke of Britain. You and I would not be in this place at this time, had they not done so.
Had we not fought the Civil War, we would still most likely have the horrible institution of slavery. Thank heaven we were fortunate enough to have Abraham Lincoln, and men and their women who dropped their plows and went to fight for the Union. Several of mine did. One was captured by the South, and died as a wounded POW. And some were in the Underground Railroad helping in that way as well.
And as far as WWII....well, we could have rolled over, and just let them roll over us. I don't think Japan ever considered they would not win. They certainly did mobilize Americans. Ever thought about how you would have enjoyed Hitler and his friends ruling the US, and most probably all of Europe as well?
Don't forget, it hasn't been the US that has said we will kill Americans, Jews and Christians.
Maybe you didn't and don't believe them.
I didn't either until 9-11.
From my earlier article:
Ideology and Goals
The principal stated aims of al-Qaeda are to drive Americans and American influence out of all Muslim nations, especially Saudi Arabia; destroy Israel; and topple pro-Western dictatorships around the Middle East. Bin Laden has also said that he wishes to unite all Muslims and establish, by force if necessary, an Islamic nation adhering to the rule of the first Caliphs.
According to bin Laden's 1998 fatwa (religious decree), it is the duty of Muslims around the world to wage holy war on the U.S., American citizens, and Jews. Muslims who do not heed this call are declared apostates (people who have forsaken their faith). |
