Did U.S. actions cause 9/11?

andyfox · #1 09-22-2005, 11:51 PM

Immediately after 9/11, those who said the U.S. was at least partially to blame for 9/11 were chastized as not just wrong, but unpatriotic. The idea of "blowback" was not accepted by the vast majority of political commentators.

But today, the president said that our behavior was to blame for 9/11. He said that if we pulled out precipitiously from Iraq, it would be the kind of behavior that led to 9/11 in the first place.

Is he right: did we bring 9/11 on ourselves?

HtotheNootch · #2 09-23-2005, 12:20 AM

Of Course

MaxPower · #3 09-23-2005, 12:25 AM

I can't believe he said that.

There are many causes. Our policies and behavior are one of the causes. There are many others of course.

We always act in our self-interest - there is nothing wrong with that. Sometimes we have to do things that have unintended consequences when we are acting in our self-interest.

We didn't bring it on ourselves, but we have to realize tha when we try to use our influence in other parts of the world it could have unintended consequences.

HtotheNootch · #4 09-23-2005, 12:35 AM

Dare we get into advanced conspiracy research?

tylerdurden · #5 09-23-2005, 12:50 AM

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Did U.S. actions cause 9/11?

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Of course. Do you think Osama just hates really large buildings?

JackWhite · #6 09-23-2005, 01:28 AM

[ QUOTE ]
But today, the president said that our behavior was to blame for 9/11. He said that if we pulled out precipitiously from Iraq, it would be the kind of behavior that led to 9/11 in the first place.

[/ QUOTE ]

What was the exact quote?

Dynasty · #7 09-23-2005, 02:33 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But today, the president said that our behavior was to blame for 9/11. He said that if we pulled out precipitiously from Iraq, it would be the kind of behavior that led to 9/11 in the first place.

[/ QUOTE ]

What was the exact quote?

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's what I found quickly on FoxNews.

“Some Americans want us to withdraw our troops so that we can escape the violence. And I recognize their good intentions but their position is wrong,” Bush said. "For the safety and security of the American people, that's not going to happen on my watch."

Bush said the "costly mistakes of the past that led to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001," allowed terrorists to believe that the nation was vulnerable.

“The terrorists concluded that we lacked the courage and character to defend ourselves. And so they attacked us. And now the terrorists are testing our will and resolve in Iraq," he said.

Attacks on America prior to Sept. 11, 2001, include the hostage crisis in Iran, the bombing of the U.S. Marines barracks in Lebanon (search), the killing of American soldiers in Somalia, the destruction of two U.S. embassies in Africa and the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 1993, Bush said.

Dynasty · #8 09-23-2005, 02:37 AM

Here's a CNN.com article. link

Bush said terrorists have been emboldened over the years by the hesitant U.S. response to a hostage crisis with Iran in the Carter administration, the bombing of U.S. Marines barracks in Lebanon during the Reagan administration, the first terrorist attack on the World Trade Center during the Clinton administration, and other events.

"The terrorists concluded we lacked the courage and character to defend ourselves," the president said. "The only way the terrorists can win is if we lose our nerve and abandon the mission.

"For the safety and security of the American people, that's not going to happen on my watch," he said.

Dynasty · #9 09-23-2005, 02:39 AM

[ QUOTE ]

But today, the president said that our behavior was to blame for 9/11. He said that if we pulled out precipitiously from Iraq, it would be the kind of behavior that led to 9/11 in the first place.

Is he right: did we bring 9/11 on ourselves?

[/ QUOTE ]

President Bush is saying something completely different than the normal "We brought 9/11 on ourselves" comments.

Bush is saying our unwillingness to fight our enemies has given them the confidence to continue attacking.

[censored] · #10 09-23-2005, 02:43 AM

It was wrong for extreme left or America hating crowd to blame the US for 9/11 and it is wrong for The President to do it now.

I may disagree with some of the policies of the past but it there is no proof that that they caused the attacks. All we know is that a group a radical murders declared war on the US and this was the cause of 9/11 and the previous attacks.

On a seperate note I think this is retribution by GWB for Clinton's recent statements critizing his reponse to Katrina.