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September 9th, 201106:00 AM ET

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Zakaria: Reflections on 9/11 and itsaftermathEditor's Note: Tune in this Sunday in the U.S. at 1 p.m. E T/10 a.m. for a

special edition of GPS: "9/11 and the World". (If you're watching internationally,

tune in S unday at 4 p.m. ET, 8 p.m. ET and Monday 7 a.m. ET.) Fareed will have

a one-on-one with former U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and an

expert panel on how the world has changed - and not - since September 11,

2001.

By Fareed Zakaria, CNN

Those of us who live in New York have our own special memories of 9/11/2001. I

was driving down the Long Island Expressway, about to begin a month-long leave

from my job at Newsweek to work on a book. Around 9 a.m., I switched from the

CD player to the radio to listen to the news. The reports were chaotic but the

outlines of what had happened were clear. I turned around and headed back to

New York to get to my wife and 1-year-old boy. As I approached the Triborough

Bridge I saw huge barricades and dozens of police cars. All bridges and tunnels

were closed. Manhattan had been sealed off. Cell phones were useless that

morning because 8 million people were trying to use them simultaneously and the

result was cellular gridlock.

I turned around and headed to my destination in Long Island, the home of friends

About us

TheGlobal Public Squareis where you can make senthe world every day with insights and explanations from CNFareed Zakaria, leading journalists at TIME and CNN, aother international thinkers. Get informed about global issuexposed to unique stories, and engaged with diverse andoriginal perspectives.Amar C. Bakshiis the site's editor, features writer andproducer.

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where I had been planning to work on the book. As soon as I got there, I turned

on CNN and watched with horror and anger. Finally, I was able to talk to my wife

and knew that she and my son were fine. But soon I got a call from one of my

dearest friends, my roommate from college. His brother, Chris, worked on one the

high floors of the Towers. No one had heard from him. I began calling friends and

contacts at the New York Police Department, the FBI, the CIA - anyone who might

have any ideas about what I might do to help. I remember looking at the hospital

emergency rooms, with beds set up on the streets, waiting for patients to come

streaming in. But, of course, they were all empty. No one ever came. Chris was

never heard from again.

I guessed instantly who had done it. I had followed Osama bin Laden and al

Qaeda for a few years, through the attacks on the U.S. embassies in Africa andon the USS Cole in Yemen. In my previous job, as Managing Editor ofForeign

Affairs magazine, I had published a commentary on bin Ladens then-little-

known fatwah against the United States by the eminent Princeton historian,

Bernard Lewis. But I was still stunned by the attack - by its audacity, simplicity and

success. In one respect, I was thoroughly American. I imagined that America was

an island, a rock, far away from the troubles and infections of the rest of the

world. And like most Americans, I felt a shock, an intrusion, a violation.

I put my book project on hold and spent all my spare hours reading and thinking

about what had caused the attack. What explained this monstrous evil? I wrote

my columns for Newsweek on it and then, a couple of weeks later, I was talking to

Newsweeks Editor, Mark Whitaker, and we decided that I would write a full-length

essay explaining the roots of this rage against America. I spent three days and

nights in a white heat, reading, researching and writing. The result was a 6,000-

word cover essay that ran in Newsweek worldwide titled, Why They Hate

Us? It got a lot of attention - more than anything I had ever written. It was a

moment that Americans - in fact, people around the world - were deeply curious

for answers, explanations and understanding. The piece did deal with America

and American foreign policy in small measure, but it was mostly about Islam and

the Arab world in particular. It was mostly about them.

Thats how 9/11 was discussed and analyzed at the time - mostly with a focus on

them. Who are they? Why are they so enraged? What do they want? What will

stop them from hating us? That discussion of Islam and the Arab world had its

problems, but its was a fruitful discussion, especially once it was joined by Arabs

and Muslims themselves. I have often said that the most influential piece of

writing of the last decade was a United Nations report, the UNDPs Arab

Development Report, written by Arabs, that documented in granular detail the

decay of the Arab world. Once Arabs began to focus on how stagnant and

repressive their societies had become, it set off a chain of ideas and actions that I

believe has led to the discrediting of al Qaeda and its philosophy and the rise of

the Arab Spring.

But if 9/11 was focused at the time on them, ten years later the discussion is

mostly about us. What is Americas position in the world today? Are we safer? Are

we stronger? Was it worth it? Some of these questions are swirling around

because the United States is mired in tough economic times and at such

moments, the mood is introspective not outward looking. Some of it is because of

the success in the war against al Qaeda. The threat from Islamic terrorism still

seems real but more manageable and contained.

But, in large part, the discussion about the United States is the right one to have.

History will probably record this period not as one characterized by al Qaeda and

Islamic terrorism. That will get a few paragraphs or a chapter. The main story will

be about a rapidly changing world and perhaps about the fate of the worlds sole

superpower the United States of America. History might well record 9/11 as the

beginning of the decline of America as planets unrivaled hegemon.

The day on 9/11, the world was at peace, and the United States strode that world

like a Colossus. It posted a large budget surplus. Oil was at $28 a barrel. The

Chinese economy was a fifth the size of Americas. Today, America is at war

across the globe; it has a deficit of $1.5 trillion and oil is at $115 a barrel. China is

now the worlds second largest economy.

Al Qaeda will be forgotten. Few people today remember what the Boer War was

about. But what they do know is that, around that time, the dawn of the 20th

Century, Great Britain spent a great many of its resources and, more importantly,

its attention, on policing the world and sending its troops to Africa

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@RumsfeldOffice, an excerpt of our interview is uponline here: http://t.co/XX92dlE6 hours ago

Sun at 1pm ET/10am PT I interview Donald Rumsfeldabout 9/11, Iraq and much more. I ask: Was Iraq a codistraction? http://t.co/XX92dlE6 hours ago

.@BarackObama gave a good speech on #jobs, butproposals are not enough. My views here:http://t.co/HLRyJl89 hours ago

@KazimAlamThank you12 hours ago

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3/16



We recommend From around the web

Obama jobs speechwordle

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soundoff(93 Responses)

TowelHeadsAreMorons

That's how to reflect.

September 9, 2011 at 8:33 am | Reply

johnnyusa

Some are some are not.

All are affected by their culture, as the USA and europe is affected also.

Possibly a way out of the them and us dilemma is for all countries to EDUCATE their religious crazies!For science not thousand year old fairy stories should be what we teach our impreesionable children in the 21st

century.For almost 500 years ago a scientist was jailed for his views as to the position of the earth in the solar system .

Today people are damned as "deniers" by those zealots pushing another myth, that of man made global

warming.Al Quiada are just a passing side show. After all, can anyone now say where they were when Black

September/Red Brigades /IRA caused their last terror attack??

Of course not, but if parents you can remember vividly when your child was born, or got married, or hadchildren of their own.

Time for the world media to get back to reporting what REALLY MATTERS to people, not chase only BAD

news across all continents!


and...Afghanistan and Iraq - some things never change. But Britain forgot that the

real threat to its power came from the economic rise of Germany and the United

States, which were challenging its industrial supremacy.

America needs to get back its energy and focus on its true challenge staying

competitive and vibrant in a rapidly changing world. That requires not great

exertions of foreign policy and war but deep domestic changes at home. The

danger comes not from them but from us.

For more of my thoughts through the week, I invite you to follow me

on Facebookand Twitterand to bookmark the Global Public Square.

Also, be sure to tune in this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT for a special edition

of GPS: "9/11 and the World". I'll have a one-on-one interview with former U.S.Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and I'll convene a group of experts to

discuss how the world has changed - and not since September 11, 2001.

Post by:CNN's Fareed Zakaria

Topics: Foreign Policy From Fareed Security September11 United States

Recommend You recommend Zakaria: Reflections on 9/11

and its aftermath. Admin

Ben & Jerry's promises good times with

Schweddy BallsWhy Germany might let Europe fall

MacBook Air 'doubles as a kitchen knife'

America's self-inflicted decline

Officials confirm 'credible but unconfirmed'9/11 threat

One swing of the bat showed the healingpower of sports afer 9/11

[what's this]

Economist Who Predicted the 2008 CrashGives Chilling 2012 Forecast. See theEvidence. Newsmax.com

These 4 Things Happen Right Before A HeartAttack Newsmax.com

7 Habits of Highly Frugal People MoneyNing

Woman Sues Over Miniskirt MondaysFashion Etc.

Woman dies from fumes at McDonald'sMarketWatch.com

The Average Military Officer's Pay eHow

My reflections on 9/11 and its aftermath: The dangercomes not from them but from us.#BiggestLessonLearnedfrom911(http://t.co/agaxlny)12 hours ago

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4/16



ilan

-Ismail Haniyeh (top member of the fakestinian govenment.)"We condemn the killing of the Arab Muslim holy warrior Osama Bin Laden and we pray that God

will have mercy on him."

"The time will not come until Muslims will fight the J ews (and kill them); until the J ews hide behind

rocks and trees, which will cry: O Muslim! there is a J ew hiding behind me, come on and killhim!"-article 7 hamas official charter-

but we all know HAMAS are just RADICALS !,FATAH members are peace loving people !

youtube>>"FATAH official our goal has never been peace"

September 9, 2011 at 3:46 pm |

marina urbach

Why are you repeating verbatim Perry's nonsense?


Joe Job

Why must we dwell on this still-? Yes it was terrible-!! There are so many other terrible things happening to thisnation (decline from #1, poor economy, health care, our political parties are a bunch of buffoons each year and

keep getting reelected, China is gaining power to become the next world leader over the USA, no country

listens to us any longer, bottom line our home land has become weak & lazy). 9/11 will be forgotten like WW1and where WW2 is nearly. When this generation dies so will the memory of 9/11.


futbol Czarina

WWI and WWII are hardly forgotten. Geopolitical boundaries are still in place as a result of theoutcome of the latter war. Alliances were reinforced and are still in place. Europe speaks multiple

languages, including English, because of our victory in WWII. Don't be so dismissive of wars

because you might not personally care. 9/11 was a pivotal event for America and much of Europe.It altered the last decade worldwide. The lasting impact remains to be seen, but it will not be

simply a generational issue.


SICKOFIT

I dwell on it because justice has yet to be served. Send Bush and Cheney to Germany so they

can recieve a fair trial and be convicted for their crimes OR we could try them here for treason

and then hang them. Oh they are guilty, no question in my mind. We could even waterboard themto force a confession. After all its OK to torture criminals.


Bill

why should we dwell on it? ?? I'll tell you why...because justice hasn't been served...TheAmerican gov't still have a lot of explaining to do. Those who died on 911 their souls will not rest

in peace until justice is served. We all know it's about big oil.


JasonB

until the next one


usapanda

Okay US, time to get over this and more on. The government and media play this crap up every year way too
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5/16



much.

September 9, 2011 at 3:50 pm | Reply

HRTX

I hope someone close to you dies horribly. Then I'll be able to tell you to get over it...youworthless waste of air. I hope you get cancer and rot.


Hi

I agree


Tia

You are free to get over it if you want. Clearly you live in a vacuum and are incapable of caring

about anyone but yourself so please, go watch some cartoons since you have the intellect of a 4

year old.


j. von hettlingen

Fareed: "it has a deficit of $1.5 trillion". No, it's 14 trillion!

True, the Al Qaeda hasn't been able to stage an attack on similar scale since 9/11, but the excessive war on terror has costbillions. The burden of this public good the global security is not equally shared and the West stands on its own -broke.


johnnyusa

Those who perpetrate the attacks also are "broke" too!

Not just broke, but morally bankrupt.They have strict religious codes with NO MORALITY, they have strict "family values".

Like selling off their young daughters to relatives, (and killing them to "avenge their honour") if the girl wants to

make a choice of partner herself!Honour killing is frequent and applied mostly to women but men are tragetted too.

Women used as baby machines, with a culture of easy divorce for a man, but none for women.Western women cry about their "inequalities" but the Sisterhood raise not a peep about their religiously bound

sisters!

Hopefully the "Spring" that is breaking out in N Africa will eventually allow those sociaties to cast off their actualand mental dictatorships and emerge from the 12th Century world into the light and freedom of the 21st

Century!

Maybe the "Arab Spring" is a start, but reflecting on 9.11 it seems unlikely without a step change in theirsocietal thinking!


Gary Dee, Portland, Oregon

The gross national debt (including what is owed to Social Security) is around $14 Trillion. $1.5 Trillion is thisfiscal year's budget deficit.


Harvey

The national debt (14.7 trillion) is only part of the picture. You have to also add in the interest on the debt (3.7trillion) and the liabilities we have been obligated to, but are unfunded (115.4 trillion!). This adds up to 133.8

trillion.

There are about 312 million of us in this country, To cover everything, every man, woman, and child in this

country would have to cut a check for about $429,000. Are you ready to cut your check? Remember to cut onejust like it for each member of your family.
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6/16



If you want to see something that will curl your toes check out www(dot)usdebtclock(dot)org

You might want to skip this if you are prone to cardiac arrest.


SCOTO

1.5 trillion is the budget deficit. 14 trillion is the national debt. You are confusing them.


Cody (D.C.)

deficit =/=debt


Rick McDaniel

The US is in the greatest decline since its origins, and that is likely to continue, because our government does not care aboutthe country, as a country. The Dems just want to keep everyone on welfare, and have total dictatorial control, and the GOP

just wants to have everything set up to make money at any cost.

The government has allowed our manufacturing to all be sent off shore, and the middle class has been destroyed.

Higher education is so expensive, no one can expect to pay of the debt to get a degree, in less than 25 yrs.

Our southern border is no better than a sieve, and illegal immigrants have taken all of the lower class jobs, putting Americans

out of work. Our government is encouraging that, so they can grow their voter base, and ensure they remain in power.

Our people have become lazy and shiftless, preferring to play games on computers, rather than o outside and fix their

houses, or maintain their yards. Americans eat so unhealthy, and have gotten so fat, that now they claim to be disabled,because they are so fat.

There is absolutely nothing positive about America, today.......absolutely nothing.


Onesmallvoice

Very well said, Rick. Thank you.


klm

re: Rick McDaniel

Exactly. Except that many Americans now EXPECT the government to support them, at any cost. It is said thatthe Americans don't have work in the lower job classes because the illegal immigrants take those jobs, but most

of those are jobs Americans WON'T do. I'm in AZ and see it first hand. In Mexico, for example, you want to

eat?... get a job. Need a place to live?... work for it. In America.... just go to welfare office and you get cash, aplace to live, transportation, medical care, education, etc.

I am 60 yo, white, American, and have worked my entire life. Why can't everybody who can just get a job and

earn a living? Because the socialists are taking over. It didn't work in the past so why try it again?

Well spoken Rick!


Chris

While you have some of the problems about our country correct, you are also entirely ignorant. "There'sabsolutely nothing positive about America?" Please. You're being dramatic, and it's certainly not becoming. Get

over yourself and stop being a crybaby.


johnnyusa
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7/16



THAT is what people in the UK felt like whenthe last government was in ofice.

Government spending citizens money on Programmes which East Germany would have admired.

CCTV on every street in the name of "freedom", ID cards proposed, free speech attacked and reduced.Socialists were in control!

2010, Socialist kicked out..NO MONEY LEFT &Billions in debt. Sound familiar.

But now people are getting to have more hope. For a new government are cutting programmes and excessgovt.

A start.

Before people too had no hope...is that how socialists the world over operate??Well people can now see a little light at the end of the tunnel, and are getting a little less pessimistic.

Perhaps after Obama and the socilaist Dems have gone, citizens in USA may feel the same.But all bets are off if the citizensreturn to power those who have failed USA since 2008!


Alex

Nearly everything you just said outside of our political BS is either outright false or horribly exaggerated. In allhonesty, your whining about people who don't live you do (living to work, working to live) is what's causing the

US to stagnate. What the hell does keeping a tidy lawn have to do with ANYTHING, anyways? That foolish

sentimentality has no bearing whatsoever.

Besides all that, I think we've been #1 long enough. It's high time that somebody else (perhaps China?) tohandle the reins. They can deal with all the crap in the world today, and we can get on with enjoying life (what

life SHOULD be about!).


alanseago

Rick, I almost agree with you, but I disagree with your statement that the country is in decline because of the

government. The country is in decline because we have become a weak and greedy people. The U.S.

government is the mess it is because we have elected those people, and we have elected them because theyhave promised us the world. We expect to be given cradle-to-grave health care, without paying for it. We

expect infinite extensions of umemployment benefits without paying for them. We expect another government

stimulus will make us all wealthy, but none of us want to pay for it.

Yes, our government has failed us - but only because we've told it to.


LazDecline... is mostly a consequence of the growing ignorance of the american people...towardEconomy, World affairs and finally the very basic fundamentals upon which this country was

originally created. Americans still believe they live on a magical land of opportunity and they

dream the life of their idols and patrons...not realizing that this life they envy... is reached by 1 outof a thousand...and this is only because the other 999 can't live it... Why is it that america has to

be synonymus of inequalities...(on education, welfare, chances in life). Why is it that it only comes

down to greed and money.... You realize how deep a country can go when you get to analysewho its people select to represent them...Everything in the US is about how you package things

instead of what you package in.... it's becoming to the ideology side what was China on the

manufacturing side....

911 was so sad... sad because it was mostly paid by innocents... in America and elsewhere....

911 is a sad event because... it became an opportunity for America to lead as an example...an

example finally no one wants to follow. What did all these innocents die for...? Since it's allcrumbling down now.


mary

There is nothing good about America? Really? Love it or leave it.


Laz

There is actually... a lot of good... and bad.... the best and the worst...and I don't live in it so I do

not have to leave it!
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8/16




George

...yawnnn.....


Christian Aglen

Well thought-out reflections, Fareed. By the way, I noticed one small typo in one of the sentences: "I have often said that theymost influential piece of writing of the last decade was a United Nations report". - >"they"


TXJim

Great article..


zakariajoker

Lousy article as usual from zakaria.


Gethetruth

Obviously your are a Muslim and hate Zak because he does not toe your line. Get a like stupid

Paki !


Will

Best 9/11 joke: shortly after 9/11, a guy from the State Dept gets a visit from the new Saudi Ambassador in Washington."Ahmed, nice to see you. Are you and the family getting settled in okay? " "Yes, but I have one question." "Sure Ahmed, I'm

here to help." "Well, my kids are watching this TV show Star Trek. On the space ship there are many people: Americans,Russians, Africans, Asians and Indians. But why no Arabs on Star Trek?" "Oh Ahmed, that's because Star Trek takes placein the future."


Johnny 5

Chris: Dramatic? ignorant? R ick is telling it how it is, it sucks, but it's reality.


Amit-Atlanta-USA

I have commented extensively on my former countryman from India Mr. Zakarias writings and his ongoing Anti-Western, Anti-Semitic pro-Islamic agenda.

While a lot of Americans have until now had been misled into believing his moderate stance given his penchant for sayingcertain obvious things (ONLY in an effort to capture gullible minds), while cleverly hiding all the vitriol in sugarcoated

language, through this article, Mr. Zakaria himself blows the lid off on his overall thinking & agenda!

Here are some notable comments that I would like readers to focus on to understand Mr. Zakarias line of thinking.

(Readers please note: I need to truncate my response as it is being censored!)


Amit-Atlanta-USA


9/16



Unfortunately it looks like my comments are being censored.

Readers please read the article in his enterity paying close to attention to Mr. Zakaria's initial anger which

dissipates into holding America itself responsible for all these terrorist acts.


ik

OMG! Amit you are an idiot... I read your comments and really wish I rather stab myself in the eye... you are an

ignorant fool and I have been noticing that for a couple of months.. No wonder your comments are censored!


Jenny

Great article, but tons of typos.


Kevin Gould

My friend, Fareed.

Thanks again for your balanced and measured perspective on the state of the world. I've spent the past eight years deployed

to Iraq and Afghanistan, executing the military policies of this nation, with mixed results. I don't get to watch GPS too often,

but I think you would be well-served to interview some middle-level troops on their experiences in reconstruction, training,

and repairing the destruction caused by past despots and the current plague of nihilistic terrorists. Keep up the fire, Fareed.


Carla

It was the beginning of opening the lid of the tightly closed Middle East. Americans got sacrificed for liberty to all women, as

they always did. Thank-you to USA.


M

Must be nice to have "contacts at the New York Police Department, the FBI, the CIA". The rest of us are normal people who

just had to wait in fear.


otomakascram

Are you suggesting that he should not have used those contacts? If it had been you, would you have not tried

to help out a friend in anyway you could?


rhymeskeema

Also, I can't wait for your the slowpitch softballs you are gonna throw at a war criminal.


Dante Xaiver

Nice to Know the Great Lie is still going on and the Average American is taking the bait hook line and sinker. Wake the hellup people and take a look at the facts. Not the facts the main stream media want you to know, Im talking about the evidence

that points to a Controlled demolition.

Bush is a war criminal and should be hung for his actions along with all his pals in the CIA CFR NATO and so on.

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10/16



Cody (D.C.)

lol

Stay in school.


DavidW

Good grief, I thought all you 9/11 conspiracy nuts had finally shutup. You need to Google Popular Mechanics9/11 and read, learn, forget the fact you hate Bush because you voted for Gore and Kerry and they didn't win.

Give it up, yes there was smoke, yes there was fire, but it's because a jumbo jet loaded with thousands ofgallons of highly flamible J et A1 fuel crashed into the buildings at 500 mph destroying the integrity of thestructure and the buildings failed and fell on top of everything around it including Building 7 you moronic peter

leech.


SICKOFIT

I will remeber it as the day my distain for our own government reached the level it is today. Anyone who thinks our

government didn't know something was going to happen has been drinking to much lead contaminated water. they can tell

you things about yourself you don't even know. I would not be at all surprised if our own government contributed in some wayin the attack. What better way to promote an unjust war for oil. I'm not saying they did, just that I wouldn't be surprised. Bush

and Cheney should be shipped off to Germany so they can be tried for the war crimes they commited. At the very least theyshould be held accountable for destroying the American economy, a treasonist act. All you right wing rebublicans can blame

Obama all you want. The majority of Americans know whose to blame for our current state of affairs. I have no politicalaffiliation, I simply call it as I see it. My own parents voted for that moron Bush and I warned them that it was a huge mistake.They have come to realize.....I was right.


Onesmallvoice

Well put SICKOFIT, and quite true. I couldn't have stated it better!


stan.k

Did you ride the short bus?


We are one

Hello Everyone,

J ust want to share this important piece of information with every one. Islam has clearly stated that no one is permitted to hurtan other inocent person or animal or a bird or a property and that means NONE in any way shape or form.

So any one who is born in a Muslim Country / family or has a Muslim name, decides to go out there and hurt any one or an

animal or a bird or a plant or a tree anything that is living or non living, is absolutely NOT a MUSLIM. I am no Scholar but ifsome how I am given the authority, I will declear every single person (muslim or non muslim) who goes out to hurt other

innocent human beings (of any religion) in any way or form, AN ANIMAL with no religion.

This is just my thought.September 9, 2011 at 1:27 pm | Reply

WWRRD

Thanks and Peace!


WWRRD

I say streamline the TSA, dunp the DHS. Let's save our money and return to living our lives as Americans. It might happen


11/16



again. No one knows. But at least we would live free and proud and not be so obsessed with being safe. That would be a

victory against those who delight in seeing us spend our blood and treasure in Afghanistan. Put our energy , labor, intellect

and resources into becoming the greatest economic , and then military power the world has ever seen. Our old President hadit right, Speak softly and carry a BIG STICK. Don't meddle in other countries. Don't get tangled up in alliances.Don't tolerate

international corporations that earn profit in America but but don't contribute to american jobs or taxes. If someone threatens

our country, don't be squemish about attacking the enemy , DESTROY THEM, preferably quickly and without mercy. Andnever , never let people convince you that Americans deserve to be victims of terrorism. At least not so long as people are

risking their very lives so they can come here to be Americans.


ButtersI really don' see how history is suppose to remember something , when the entire truth has not been divulged .

The entire truth will never be known .

I wondering how history will remember Americans and their brainwashed lives .


George

Looks like Fareed has me on the no post list. He doesn't like what I say about him.


ChronoWow, you must really think highly of yourself to think he would take the time out of his day to censor you.


WWRRD

I remember how beautiful that day was. The air was crisp and cool. There was no humidty and the sky was a brilliant blue.

Then the news came from New York , and then while the news was on we saw the second plane and things have neverbeen the same.


MAA

"The day on 9/11, the world was at peace"....I don't think so. More like most Americans turned a blind eye towards anyinternational news back then. Some good points, too sugarcoated and usa-centric in analysis in my opinion (but I do

understand that this is partly due to the fact that these are your personal reflections).

While the USA is definitely in economic, political, etc. decline, I think we are very far away from any sort of meltdown orunstoppable decay. While China is the 2nd largest economy right now, their numbers are so distant compared to the USA's.

Yes, their growth is exponential but that growth can only sustain itself for so long. Furthermore, China's and the USA's

economies mutually and extremely depend on one another. I know this point is a little off topic, but it is an important onenonetheless.

Regarding the "they are taking all of our jobs" issue, the problem is not that there is a "finite" amount of jobs out there, but

that our nation is not providing the resources to advance our citizens' job skills. We need to help our unemployed, lower-

skilled brothers and sisters evolve to the next step. The job market is changing in this country and well all need to help oneanother gain the skills to compete. J obs can/will always grow, the question is if the job-searchers' skills can grow.

Thank you for the article Fareed, because although not everyone may agree with your views, the fact is that people areTALKING about these larger issues- and this is the most important point.

Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance.-Confucius


zakariajoker

Zakaria is the only smart one !

He has all the contacts. He knows all the solutions to the world's problems.He advised Obama on healthcare.

He was the teleprompter at the speech last night.

He was the smoke from the towers.Zakaria for secretary of the taliban.
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12/16




JMW

Flight 93 made for a good story...too bad it was shot down.......yes shot down by a US Fighter. But the public will never be

privy to that infomation as no one can stomach that we had to actually shoot down one of our planes heading (maybe) to the

White House. How do I know? I was the duty controller that day.


911insidejobber

Zakaria is a Council On Foreign Relations member and a willing servant of the International Bankers controlling America.


bobalu

Why is Pakistan still holding Osama's wives and kids in custody and not repatriating them like they said they would? Are theya threat? Obviously the US didn't think so. Or do they know something the Pakistanis want kept secret?


Billlisten guys you need to look into 911 gov't cover up ..we owe the ones that died that day to investigate more into what reallyhappened on 911 and bring those accountable forward. Don't let the mainstream media brainwash you.


PHPDEVS

Our jobs are going to India. Instead of my grandfather, its some lousy woman in india answering phones ! thats our downfall

!!!


Skeptic14

It will be remembered much like Pearl Harbor, the USS Liberty, Operation Northwoods, the sinking of the Luisitania, the

burning of the Reichstag, the killing of Archduke Ferdinand, the US's approval of Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, etc. etc. etc.


AndyF

My 2nd thought after the towers fell; OMG, we have an alcoholic frat boy who bankrupted every business he was charged

with as President. Hope he knows what he is doing. Well he didn't, and Al Queda's goal of wrecking our economy wasaccomplished not by the 9/11 attacks themselves, but by the gross mismanagement of the country and of the war. I mean tax

cuts during a time of war, and now the Tea Party want the segment of society who send the most troops in harm's way to

continue to shoulder a majority of the burden with their anrachist approach to running the economy? Where was the angerwhen we had to have military families hold fund raisers to provide our troops with what Rumsfled later acknowledged were

basic protections the US military should have provided going in? I will remember all this as the greatest military andeconomic failure in American history unless the Tea Party and GOP concede that it is time for all of us to pay for this war, notjust the middle and lower classes.


john

History will remember 9/11 as the period when the United States of America becamethe biggest cry babies in the world.

History will judge Americans for giving up

freedoms and liberties to the state. History will dictate we deserve neither freedom

nor liberty.
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13/16



Historians will judge us for what we are. Cowards. Losers. Crybabies.

History will also rename the new tea party for what they are. The KKK.


george from europe

This attack,was payback for neverending occupation of us army around the world. The pride of usa is lost...forever


AnotherJohn

Since you live in Europe, the European country you reside in invites the US Military to run bases within your

country, that's one reason why Euro nations can afford to maintain many social services that would go tobuilding domestic military forces to protect the entire Euro Union. The US doesn't have bases in countries that

don't invite us, unless we're at war within that countries boarders. Pull your head out of your rear end before

you start getting a kick out of it.


Ted Peters

To paraphrase Mr. Zakaria in his 2008 Newsweek article about the end of conservatism: Progressive slogans sound

anachronistic in the context of today's problems, like an old black and white TV show from the 1960s.


Gary

There was nothing special about that day.


VJ

I agree for the most part, but I wouldn't say 9/11 itself caused the decline of the US. It was the series of events that occurredafter 9/11 and our response to it. I am not saying we did the wrong thing because there really was no choice. Most of us

Americans were angry and wanted to retaliate. I still feel that way every time I see WTC in smoke.

But the real reason for our decline is the rules of war in todays age. WWII ended with 2 atomic bombs that took out militarytargets, with civilian casualities as collateral. Today, that would be unacceptable, and instead war is longer, and takes more

ground personnel. If instead we dropped a few atomic bombs in afghanistan or iraq and dont care what occurs in those

countries postwar, those wars would be over in 1-2 days. I'm pretty sure al queda will stop if we threaten to drop a few moreatomic bombs every time they threaten us. I'm not saying thats the right thing, but thats on par with the thinking of past wars,

and will assert our dominance in the world.


Florencia Lopez

im really appreciate that in my school, every students wore red,blue and white clothes for the tower. so we hopelly the tower

wont get hit from the air plane again. We love you NYC!!!! Wow i cant believe the tower has fall down and kill 3.000

people. Thank you Goerge Bush for closing the airport stage. I wish the tower will NEVER crash AGAIN! We love you NewYork !!!! By: Florencia


Florencia Lopez

PLEASE SAVE THE WORRRLLLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Kat

what's next by Islamphobes crap? that the Latin American drugs cartels are Muslims? we're indebted forever to Muslim

China? Muslims are taking our jobs? 100,000 Muslim victims of Bosnia killed themselves and blamed the Christian Serbs for


14/16



it? Rwanda Chrsitian masscres were a Muslim conspiracy? Muslims invaded Israeli towns in Poland, Germany and Russia

and established an Arabs-only state with colonies that house Arab immigrants from Yemen and Morocco? Muslims forge

evidence of WMD's in Christian countries after speaking to their "heavenly father" to justify invading Christian countries in thewest "to liberate them" and make millions homeless and dead in the way?


Ricky

Why doesn't anyone talk about WTC 7 that fell in the afternoon of the same day due to controlled demolition?


Brian

..Because that never happened. (shhhhh BIG brother is watching and listening to you)..

How does a steel and glass building just FALL down at freefall speed with only 3 small fires inside? (hint..

military explosives help a bit in that collapse.. ).


david

first of all, mr zakaria, how did bilderberg group feel about 9/11? second, it is beyond obvious that 9/11 was carried out by the

american government. for proof, there is no wreckage at shanksville or at the pentagon. the THREE towers fell at free fall

speed into their own footprints. at world trade center 7, officers were telling everybody to back up, theyre going to blow up 7.dick cheney also issued a stand down order. none of this is debatable. it all happened. i just wish fareed would tell us what

goes on at bilderberg. we know you go there.


nytw

9/11 was obviously a horrible historical event. But how will people remember hit, 12/7, 6/6, 8/6, 11/11. Pretty much the same

way.


Greg

Hey Fareed. Still having those weekly meetings at the White House so you know what propaganda to spew? You are a

disgrace and should be deported, if not tried, on grounds of treason (if you're even a legal citezen). Your blathering about

how we should change our system of government, how our system is a failure and not as good as other parliamentarysystems will end soon enough when you get fired from CNN. You are terrible. I'm disappointed to see CNN employ foreigners

that bash the American system all the time. Shame on you guys.


Nik

Yet another piece of hate propaganda from the Terrorists fav apoligist. You are a disgrace. We don't need to change my

friend. As much as you want us to.


CANT YOU SEE

If you people dont realise what the jewiish people are behind till now.. forgot the west and there greed for OIL. the jeews

blew up the twin towers. not bin laden he would claim anything.. think of the jEWish people who took land from others.


For the truth

911 was a self inflicted wound by the CIA and Mossad. The official 911 fairytale has more holes in it then swiss cheese, butthe idiotic Americans are too busy watching American Idol to see through the garbage the government gives them. What a

sad country America has become.


15/16




FFFF

Yep, too bad the American media covers up all the lies of this country. Americans are a bunch of sheep headed

off for slaughter.


James

911 was allowed to happen to kick off the endless war on terror.


CANT YOU SEE

so true a endless war.. so called J IHAAD .. wrong enemy is a religion .. U.S GOOD LUCK


Brian

Why are my posts being censored by CNN? You gotta love "FREEDOM OF SPEECH!". Thanks CNN for defending our rightsto FREE SPEECH!!! (NOT)


Craig

History won't remember 9/11...at all. It is insignificant in the scheme of things.


kimsland

Fareed Zakaria (the blog writer) was going on a 'month long leave from your job' without your wife and 1yo son?

Then you turned back, found it was way to hard to continue to get to your family (through traffic not rubble) SO then decidedto turn away from your family AGAIN, for a month!?

Maybe you should have perished youself back then, at least your family would had a reasonable reason to be alone through

this world traumatic time.I'd rather hear from writers who have more family values, you have nothing to contribute when you show nothing to your own

family. Its meant to be in good times and bad, not in selfish and cold.

Rethink your own values, they start at home.


wowgold

It's ten years now! I can't believe it.

FREE WOW ITEMS give away in SwagVault. Check SwagVault website to learn more.


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