by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright September 9, 2002
All Rights Reserved.

ooking across the East River from the promenade in Brooklyn Heights, the towering lower-Manhattan skyline painfully misses the World Trade Center Twin Towers, since the unspeakable horror of Sept. 11. Bin Laden and his Islamic assassins knocked out the two front teeth from New York's shining face, promising more carnage in the months ahead. Only unsightly scars remain in the 40-acre excavation pit known as "ground zero," once housing Manhattan's proudest skyscrapers. Gone are the 10-million tons of twisted rubble and vaporized flesh, leaving victims' families permanently disfigured, facing an uncertain future. Former New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani urges the creation of a national monument, preserving the grounds as a sacred burial site. But turning the beating heart of New York into a glorified tomb defies the city's vibrant energy and eternal spirit. Terrorists shouldn't stop New York, and the memories of more than 3,000 victims, from soaring to new heights.

      Since 9/11, America has taken a searching inventory in hopes of preventing future attacks. Institutions responsible for national security have answered tough questions since lapses on 9/11. While defensive measures by the Department of Justice and law enforcement have sparked lively debate about civil liberties, America cannot be turned into an armed camp. Beefing up airport security is long overdue, but security measures alone can't prevent future terrorism. Mobilizing the U.S. military last October, President Bush toppled the Taliban and drove Bin Laden underground, assuring that terrorists would be less likely to strike again. While former president Clinton believes that the White House should direct all resources to capturing Bin Laden, President Bush sees Saddam Hussein as an emerging threat. Since booting out U.N. weapons' inspectors in 1998, no one knows for sure the extent of the Iraqi threat. Most estimates, including an independent review by a respected London think tank, have Saddam stockpiling chemical and biological weapons and working toward building an A-bomb.

      Europeans and some homegrown critics insist that U.S. actions must go through the United Nations. Yet the U.N. offers neither guarantees of national security nor reparations for victims' families, only hot air about respecting national sovereignty and international law. No U.N. representative transmitted, from their listening posts in the Islamic world, advanced warnings about Sept. 11. U.S. sovereignty and international law were savaged by Islamic kamikazes hijacking airlines and crashing them into coveted skyscrapers and sacred institutions. But conspicuously missing since 9/11 has been universal condemnation among U.N. members, frequently criticizing U.S. foreign policy. Now that the U.S. contemplates preemptive action, the same voices whine about national sovereignty and international law. Before Sept. 11, the U.S. lacked a coherent preemptive strategy, exposing its backside to mass murderers like Osama bin Laden.

      Tightening security at airports and borders won't stop terrorism or prevent dangerous regimes from threatening U.S. interests. When the World Trade Center was first bombed in 1993, action wasn't taken by Clinton until 1998, following the bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa. Throwaway Cruise Missile attacks did little to prevent future terrorism. Under Clinton's watch, Bin Laden got a free pass after blowing up the U.S.S. Cole in Yemen's port of Aden right before the 2000 elections. Without an effective preemptive strategy, the U.S. invited Al Qaeda to engage in the long-term planning needed to pull off Sept. 11. Never again can the U.S. show such complacency in the face of ongoing threats. Since the end of the Gulf War in 1991, U.N. sanctions have done little to stop Saddam from developing and stockpiling weapons of mass destruction. Since 9/11, the U.S. reserves the right to engage in any preemptive action, including military force, to defend its national security.

      Sept. 11 should remind all Americans that effective national security requires a healthy combination of intelligence, law enforcement and, yes, military preparedness. No bunker mentality can prevent future terror attacks. Working together, the White House and Congress are pounding out the biggest overhaul in national security since the World War II. While details remain, the new Cabinet-level department must successfully combine elements from many disparate agencies to better protect national security. Since 9/11. foreign bodies—no matter how well-intentioned—can't dictate how the U.S. responds to ongoing threats. Had the U.N. been decimated on Sept. 11, they'd demand U.S. help to find perpetrators and bring them to justice. As it stands, largely ceremonial institutions must accept a country's right to defend against imminent threats. No responsible government can stand idly by while a hostile power plots its destruction.

      Getting a rude wake-up call, the U.S. must calculate its next move in the war on terror. No symbolic body like the U.N.—or any other sovereign nation—has the right to dictate what must be done to defend national security. Sept. 11 should remind all Americans that only the U.S. must assess its own threats and take steps to defend its interests. While diplomacy is a worthy goal, the U.S. can't be hamstrung by outside forces pretending to have a grip on national security. Under the U.N.'s watch, Saddam has made more than 22,000 gallons of anthrax, 100,000 gallons of botulinum toxin and seeks to make or buy enough plutonium to build a deadly nuclear bomb. No honest party can deny that Saddam represents a dangerous threat to U.S. interests—and the region. Since 9/11, no reassurance from U.N. officials, foreign governments or former weapons' inspectors should satisfy U.S. authorities that they have met their obligations to national security. As the nation marks the anniversary of Sept. 11, the country must do whatever it takes to assure that history doesn't repeat itself—never again.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's a consultant and expert in strategic communication. He's author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

©1999-2002 Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.
(310) 204-8300
All Rights Reserved.