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Has the US taken advantage in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks?

by Umamah Bakharia

NEW YORK – On September 1, 2001, Al-Qaeda hijacked four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against various targets in the United States of America.

Two of the planes were flown into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Almost 3,000 people were killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which triggered major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and defined the presidency of George W. Bush.

 

Has the U.S. taken advantage of the Muslim world?



Former computer engineering professor at University of South Florida and political activist of Palestinian origin, Dr. Sami Amin Al-Arian argues that the U.S. has taken advantage of the Muslim world and the effects of September 9/11.

“[After the attacks] the western political establishment had to answer the question of ‘why were we attacked?’ Was it because of what Bush had said at that time regarding hating our freedom and democracy or is it the policies that the West has been pursuing on that part of the world for decades?” Al-Arain asked.

He believes that, because of a “unipolar moment”, the U.S. had the power and assumed they could afford to invade Muslim countries without much financial accountability.

 

Weapons and defence


However, Al-Arain said the billions of dollars that Biden claimed was used , did not leave the U.S. but rather went to weapons and defence companies.


“That tells you that not much of the money went into the pockets or into the Afghani society that has not seen much except misery and killings.”


He gives an example of the contrasting differences between compensation for the families of 9/11 victims and the compensation paid to Afghan families.


“That is how much they think a Muslim life is worth while the American or western life is more. This is a basic racist mentality,” said Al-Arian.

 

Julie Alli spoke to Dr. Sami Amin Al-Arian on News & Views. Watch the full discussion here:

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