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This week's episode is 100% ad-free, as we take up the somber subject of "memory against forgetting" (to borrow Milan Kundera's useful phrase) on the subject of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, and we didn't want to risk getting an automated ad for "Jihadis-R-Us Truck Rental" or something. John was at the Dept. of Justice that day (and late into the night); Steve was four blocks from the White House (and due to meet there at 11 am that morning), and Lucretia was overseas in Germany toward the end of her stint there as a military spouse (and mom to young children that she never once thought about strangling).
In addition to personal reflections, we go through a few of the key issues that became urgent that day, such as the necessary transition from regarding terrorist acts as criminal matters to seeing them more properly as acts of war, requiring a war-fighting mentality. This necessary shift remains controversial, of course. John recalls this in detail in a piece for Civitas Outlook, "Remembering 9/11 and the War We Fought." Don't miss it!
We also wonder about the strange twists and turns that have happened in the intervening years (such as having a radical Muslim mayor of New York City today—something unimaginable in the immediate aftermath of 9/11), and finally take up the question of whether we and our Western allies are finally, slowly coming to grips with the problem of radical Islam, or even non-radical Islam, taking some of our bearings from Ayaan Hirsi Ali's Tablet article, "What Mohammad Atta Was Trying to Tell Us."
We manage to end on an upbeat note with a modest suggestion for how to reform "land acknowledgements."
Discussion (5)
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John missing the obvious news posts regarding Muslim activities here in the states that are both illegal and disruptive, but aren't being universally prosecuted. Blocking traffic in Manhattan for prayers - kneeling in large groups in the streets, praying. In smaller communities, intimidating local storeowners for what they're selling and not selling, intimidating patrons on the streets, etc.
It's not universally "war", in the traditional sense. But it's war in a cultural sense, where they are actively trying to change the existing Western culture to conform to Islamic standards. See - anywhere in the world starting from 650AD or so to today.
John downplays the cultural side and support of this, like a giant blind spot. He actually cited Saudi Arabia as "friend", when, let me see, what was the nationality of most of the 9/11 hijackers? Was it Swedish? A man forgets.
As does John.
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Four FISA applications were approved on a candidate and then a siting president. The FBI took down the NSA General Flynn based on lies. Fifty-one senior IA people lied about the Hunter laptop. Our betters have used the Patriot Act against us and Rip Van Yoo appears to be unconcerned about this.
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Bill Buckley suggested decades ago that in order to fight the drug war we should declare war on Mexico, not necessarily to wage war but to, as John suggested, open up the ability to use war powers.
,
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I’ve never forgiven W for running to that mosque mere days, DAYS (!) after 9/11. Likewise ticked at his father for refusing to gloat over the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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I wondered at the time why we didn't shut the border down. Instead we imported 1.8 million of the people trying to kill us. We were are war but wouldn't clearly define the enemy.