FACE TO FACE: What, 10 years later, is the legacy of Sept. 11, 2001?
On Sunday, the world will mark the 10th anniversary of the worst terror attacks on U.S. soil.
Shortly after the 9/11 assaults that killed almost 3,000 Americans, U.S. president George Bush told the international community it was time for other countries to get involved in the war on terror.
"That means different things for different nations," Bush said. "Some nations don't want to contribute troops and we understand that. Other nations can contribute intelligence-sharing... But all nations, if they want to fight terror, must do something. Over time it's going to be important for nations to know they will be held accountable for inactivity. You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror."
In other words, countries that harboured terrorists and assets of terrorists were no longer allies of the United States.
My colleague opposite suggests Bush's remarks, along with his reaction to 9/11, isolated the United States from the rest of the world. I, on the other hand, call it prudent governance.
The events of 9/11 changed Bush's presidency and his country's foreign policy mandate. Securing the homeland from terrorist groups such as al-Qaida became our neighbour's top priority, and if the us-versus-them-mentality fostered international resentment, then so be it.
Bush followed up his tough talk with real action.
The U.S., along with Canada and other allies, engaged in a war in Afghanistan, which by most accounts has led to the degradation of al-Qaida.
America has also spent billions of dollars on improved intelligence systems, interrogated and detained terror suspects at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, and beefed up border security, all with the goal of safeguarding Americans against any futureattacks.
While my colleague wishes to jump on the Bush-bashing bandwagon, I maintain George W.'s measures have paid off in spades.
Surely, president Bush made some mistakes in the post 9/11 era. Launching a war in Iraq that did little to weaken al-Qaida, certainly, for some, leaves a black mark on his legacy.
But, the bottom line is that the United States is unequivocally a safer place today than it was 10 years ago.
Moreover, by making America a safer place, Bush made the world a safer place.
Andy Radia is a Coquitlam resident and political columnist who writes for Yahoo! Canada News and Vancouver View Magazine. He has been politically active in the Tri-Cities, having been involved with election campaigns at all three levels of government, including running for Coquitlam city council in 2005.
