Sept 11th

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By Dr SIAM BHAYRO
	A seismic change occurred on September 11th, beyond the suffering caused to thousands by the destruction of the twin towers. The real change occurred in US foreign policy, and it is precisely the change that the terrorists wanted. This is a sad testimony to one sure fact --_ terror triumphs. In our world those who resort to terror ultimately achieve their aims as those who "play by the rules" are penalised. The so-called civilised world capitulates and turns against those who share its ideals of freedom and tolerance in a liberal democracy. This can be seen clearly in the Middle East. The only liberal democratic and truly tolerant state in the Middle East is Israel. It is the only government that guarantees freedom of worship to all faiths without persecution. The rights of Christians to make their pilgrimages are not compromised. The rights of Muslims to visit the third most important site in Islam are maintained. The government is elected and there is a system of parliamentary democracy in which Israeli Arabs are included. Immigrants from around the world are welcomed and integrated into society and, despite the ethnic tensions this can lead to, there is a genuine desire to keep this tradition going. There is no other country in the region that has put its very existence at risk to adopt such civilised values, and yet it is this same country that our governments have turned against. Before September 11th, the West was growing increasingly alarmed at the reluctance of the USA to involve itself in international affairs. The new Bush administration was perceived as becoming more insular, and the past efforts to force a resolution in the Middle East were being put on the back-burner. At the beginning of August, plans were leaked to the press about the establishing of a Western peace keeping presence in the land of Israel ["Secret plan to send observers to Israel" _ Guardian, August 3rd 2001]. This plan was welcomed enthusiastically by the Palestinians but rejected by the Israelis. This led to it being forgotten about ... until September 11th. As the dust began to settle, the USA began to realise the full extent of the cost of the attack. This was not the estimated 3,500 thought to have died in the attacks. Such a moral approach is too much to expect from a government who fraudulently "won" an election. No _ the cost was measured in terms of the estimated $70 billion (£50 billion) insurance bill, the subsequent decline in world airlines and the acceleration of the world's economies into recession [See for example, "Worldwide insurance bill for September 11 rises to £50bn" _ Guardian, October 17th 2001]. It is clear that the decision was taken that this cannot happen again. So the process of building a "broad coalition" was set in motion. We need to understand what this means. The USA does not really need such a coalition. It unilaterally bombed Afghanistan before, without needing the permission of Syria, Iran and the Arab states. So why go to them now? Economically, the West needs to keep oil prices stable and prevent another atrocity costing the world's economies even more. As Israel cannot damage the West's economies, Israel will lose out. Tony Blair's visit to Syria was a disaster, and was always doomed to be so as Syria is, according to the USA, officially a terrorist state that supports terror groups. Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad publicly lectured Blair, praising the Palestinian terrorists whom he described as freedom fighters. He also referred to Israel "practising state terrorism" on a daily basis ["Blair gets a public lecture on the harsh realities of the Middle East" -- Guardian, November 1st, 2001]. So the question we have to ask is this: "What price has been paid for the support of states such as Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab countries?" The answer is loud and clear: "Bush to stress need for Palestinian state" _ Financial Times, November 3rd-4th, 2001. This article demonstrated the extent to which the attacks of September 11th had pushed the reluctant Bush administration back into Middle East politics, and on whose side they were emerging. This report stated: "The planned US move would make it easier for Arab allies, all of whom are contending with public disenchantment with US policy, to continue to support the war against terror... It would prepare the ground for US meetings with Arab members of the coalition against terrorism, all of whom are urging Washington to address more closely the Middle East conflict." Thus the liberal democracies of the West are being blackmailed by the dictatorial Arab states into selling out the region's only democracy! This point was made explicit by King Abdullah of Jordan, who told Blair that "establishing a Palestinian state is the only way to guarantee stability in the Middle East" ["Palestine is key" _ Guardian, October 17th, 2001]. According to the Financial Times' article cited above, the crucial issue is the ultimate status of Jerusalem. Israel insists that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel. The Palestinians see it as their ultimate capital, and it remains the third most holy city in Islam. As the "peace process" is forced upon Israel, the final sticking point will be Jerusalem, and the Bible tells us that this city will become a burden to the rest of the world: "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zech. 12:3). We are told that the armies of the world will gather against Jerusalem: "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." (Zech. 14:2-4). It is this scenario that we see unfolding before our eyes. The nations are preparing to intervene against Israel on an international scale never before witnessed. This will be done under the guise of an international "peace-keeping" force, which will be sent in initially just to monitor the situation (see the Guardian article from August 3rd, 2001, cited above). Due to the September 11th attacks, the USA has turned against Israel, depriving her of her greatest supporter. The scriptures make it clear that when Israel is attacked, she will stand alone, and yet she shall be delivered by her Messiah. For those of us who believe in Bible prophecy, we are sure of the imminent return of Christ as the saviour of the Jews. So -- who is the ultimate victim of the September 11th attacks? In the short term, things will look bad for Israel, but we have confidence that she will survive and prosper.The real victim is the West, whose mask has been lifted. We claim to represent liberal democratic values. We claim to be civilised, and to want to share the benefits of our civilisation with the whole world. But in fact the West has been exposed for the hypocritical sham that it is. [ TOP ] ... [ Extra Article on this subject ] Appeared in Issue CETF 7.2 January 2002 "...contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" -- Jude v3

A seismic change occurred on September 11th, beyond the suffering caused to thousands by the destruction of the twin towers. The real change occurred in US foreign policy, and it is precisely the change that the terrorists wanted. This is a sad testimony to one sure fact --_ terror triumphs. In our world those who resort to terror ultimately achieve their aims as those who "play by the rules" are penalised. The so-called civilised world capitulates and turns against those who share its ideals of freedom and tolerance in a liberal democracy.
This can be seen clearly in the Middle East. The only liberal democratic and truly tolerant state in the Middle East is Israel. It is the only government that guarantees freedom of worship to all faiths without persecution. The rights of Christians to make their pilgrimages are not compromised. The rights of Muslims to visit the third most important site in Islam are maintained. The government is elected and there is a system of parliamentary democracy in which Israeli Arabs are included. Immigrants from around the world are welcomed and integrated into society and, despite the ethnic tensions this can lead to, there is a genuine desire to keep this tradition going. There is no other country in the region that has put its very existence at risk to adopt such civilised values, and yet it is this same country that our governments have turned against.
Before September 11th, the West was growing increasingly alarmed at the reluctance of the USA to involve itself in international affairs. The new Bush administration was perceived as becoming more insular, and the past efforts to force a resolution in the Middle East were being put on the back-burner. At the beginning of August, plans were leaked to the press about the establishing of a Western peace keeping presence in the land of Israel ["Secret plan to send observers to Israel" _ Guardian, August 3rd 2001]. This plan was welcomed enthusiastically by the Palestinians but rejected by the Israelis. This led to it being forgotten about ... until September 11th.
As the dust began to settle, the USA began to realise the full extent of the cost of the attack. This was not the estimated 3,500 thought to have died in the attacks. Such a moral approach is too much to expect from a government who fraudulently "won" an election. No _ the cost was measured in terms of the estimated $70 billion (£50 billion) insurance bill, the subsequent decline in world airlines and the acceleration of the world's economies into recession [See for example, "Worldwide insurance bill for September 11 rises to £50bn" _ Guardian, October 17th 2001].
It is clear that the decision was taken that this cannot happen again. So the process of building a "broad coalition" was set in motion. We need to understand what this means. The USA does not really need such a coalition. It unilaterally bombed Afghanistan before, without needing the permission of Syria, Iran and the Arab states. So why go to them now? Economically, the West needs to keep oil prices stable and prevent another atrocity costing the world's economies even more. As Israel cannot damage the West's economies, Israel will lose out.
Tony Blair's visit to Syria was a disaster, and was always doomed to be so as Syria is, according to the USA, officially a terrorist state that supports terror groups. Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad publicly lectured Blair, praising the Palestinian terrorists whom he described as freedom fighters. He also referred to Israel "practising state terrorism" on a daily basis ["Blair gets a public lecture on the harsh realities of the Middle East" -- Guardian, November 1st, 2001].
So the question we have to ask is this: "What price has been paid for the support of states such as Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the other Arab countries?" The answer is loud and clear: "Bush to stress need for Palestinian state" _ Financial Times, November 3rd-4th, 2001. This article demonstrated the extent to which the attacks of September 11th had pushed the reluctant Bush administration back into Middle East politics, and on whose side they were emerging. This report stated: "The planned US move would make it easier for Arab allies, all of whom are contending with public disenchantment with US policy, to continue to support the war against terror... It would prepare the ground for US meetings with Arab members of the coalition against terrorism, all of whom are urging Washington to address more closely the Middle East conflict."
Thus the liberal democracies of the West are being blackmailed by the dictatorial Arab states into selling out the region's only democracy! This point was made explicit by King Abdullah of Jordan, who told Blair that "establishing a Palestinian state is the only way to guarantee stability in the Middle East" ["Palestine is key" _ Guardian, October 17th, 2001].
According to the Financial Times' article cited above, the crucial issue is the ultimate status of Jerusalem. Israel insists that Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel. The Palestinians see it as their ultimate capital, and it remains the third most holy city in Islam. As the "peace process" is forced upon Israel, the final sticking point will be Jerusalem, and the Bible tells us that this city will become a burden to the rest of the world: "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it" (Zech. 12:3).
We are told that the armies of the world will gather against Jerusalem: "For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south." (Zech. 14:2-4).
It is this scenario that we see unfolding before our eyes. The nations are preparing to intervene against Israel on an international scale never before witnessed. This will be done under the guise of an international "peace-keeping" force, which will be sent in initially just to monitor the situation (see the Guardian article from August 3rd, 2001, cited above). Due to the September 11th attacks, the USA has turned against Israel, depriving her of her greatest supporter. The scriptures make it clear that when Israel is attacked, she will stand alone, and yet she shall be delivered by her Messiah. For those of us who believe in Bible prophecy, we are sure of the imminent return of Christ as the saviour of the Jews.
So -- who is the ultimate victim of the September 11th attacks? In the short term, things will look bad for Israel, but we have confidence that she will survive and prosper.The real victim is the West, whose mask has been lifted. We claim to represent liberal democratic values. We claim to be civilised, and to want to share the benefits of our civilisation with the whole world. But in fact the West has been exposed for the hypocritical sham that it is.

[ TOP ] ... [ Extra Article on this subject ]

Appeared in Issue CETF 7.2 January 2002
"...contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" -- Jude v3