9/11's forgotten victims (AlJazerra Barf)

Al Jazerra Blogs ^ | 2011-09-08 22:00. | Imran Khan

[bigjoesaddle]

Tahira is typical of many people in Pakistan's urban middle class. She is a successful businesswoman with a loving family. She remembers the day those planes struck at the heart of America, but not like many in the West.

"It wasn't a life changing moment; I can't remember exactly where I was or what I was doing. My husband called me and I switched on the television. I remember thinking it was sad, but not much else. What I didn't know was how our lives would change."

Tahira spoke to me in her garden in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, exactly a year ago. I had made a comment on the barriers that had appeared on her street, and she just sighed. "When 9/11 happened I thought that it had nothing to do with us, they were blaming an Arab living in Afghanistan, not a Pakistani living here, but look at our lives now... We live like prisoners in our own home, nervous of anyone we don't know."

I'm reminded of our conversation as I watch and read what feels like acres of print and hours of broadcast material in the run-up to the 10 year anniversary of those horrific attacks. The headlines say it all. "9/11's innocents". "The Unsung heroes". The list could go on.

Tahira's words are a poignant reminder that the effects of 9/11 have been felt most acutely not in the West, but on the dusty alleyways of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Daily bombings, murderous intent and religious rhetoric have turned the events of that fateful Tuesday into what Tahira calls a "horrific reality".

I know exactly what she means. Throughout my years of reporting from the frontlines of the so-called "War On Terror" -from the streets of London to the remote tribal regions of

[bigjoesaddle]

The point ALWAYS forgotten is...

If THEY surrender, we stop fighting,

if WE surrender, they kill us!

[max americana]

I have not forgotten and they are not victims.

[American Quilter]

The point ALWAYS forgotten is... If THEY surrender, we stop fighting, if WE surrender, they kill us!

Can't say it any better.

[Cyber Liberty]

Tahira's words are a poignant reminder that the effects of 9/11 have been felt most acutely not in the West, but on the dusty alleyways of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Better there than here. Better them than us. The author is breaking my heart.

[21twelve]

“Tahira’s words are a poignant reminder that the effects of 9/11 have been felt most acutely not in the West, but on the dusty alleyways of Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

I guess ol’ bin Ladin should have read up on his WW II history with regard to Pearl Harbor and all of that. Sadly though this war is not over, and most have forgotten that we are in a war, and with who.

[353FMG]

Typical taqqiya reporting from Al-Jazeera — they make it sound as if murder and mayhem in the muslim world only started after 9/11/2001 and that all was peaceful and quiet before that fateful date.

Ah yes, the ROP.

[Tzimisce]

Al Jazeera is the preferred reading of the Washington elite.

Think about that while you’re job hunting/struggling to pay your taxes. :D

[kearnyirish2]

“Tahira is typical of many people in Pakistan’s urban middle class. She is a successful businesswoman with a loving family.”

Stopped reading right there...

[null and void]

Just FYI:

Here are the figures I extracted from primary sources.

Muslim countries without 9/11 WTC (non-hijacker) fatalities:

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Akaran
Azerbaijan
Baharain
Bashkortostan
Bangladesh
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Brunei
Burkina Faso
Chad
Chechmya
Cocos Islands
Comoros
Cote D'Ivoire
Dagestan
Djibouti
East Turkistan
Egypt
Eritrea
Ethiopia
The Gambia
Guinea
Ingushetia
Iran
Iraq
Jordan
Kabardino & Bakaria
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Lybia
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Mauritania
Mayotte
Mindanao
Morroco
Niger
Oman
Pakistan
Palistine
Qatar
Sanjak
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Somalia
Somaliland
Sudan
Syria
Tajikistan
Tatarstan
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
United Arab Emirates
Western Sahara
Yemen
Zanzibar

Muslim countries with 9/11 WTC fatalities:
Indonesia (92% Muslim) 1 dead
Lebanon (75% Muslim) 3 dead
Nigeria (75% Muslim) 1 dead
Usbekistan (88% Muslim) 1 dead

I suspect that these 6 either didn't get the memo, or are from the non-muslim part of the populations...

FWIW, according to Al-Ahram Weekly Online 27 Sep. - 3 Oct. 2001 Issue No.553:

But Israel, in response, confirmed that 140 Israelis died in the rubble of the WTC.

[ThomasThomas]

Those who choose to sit on the sidelines in a war going amongst them are victims of their on choices.

[SoJoCo]

Places that harbour terrorists, that play a double game by taking Western aid, while sheltering those that would do them harm. It's an argument I have heard in the halls of Westminster, in Washington. Yet the one brutal fact remains ignored by many: More people have died In Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan as result of Western intervention than died on 9/11.

Maybe if Pakistan and Afghanistan and Iraq weren't places that harbor terrorists while taking U.S. aid then nobody would die?

[DonaldC]

“More people have died In Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan as result of Western intervention than died on 9/11.”

That’s payback.

[Dallas59]

Not my fault they live and suffer under Islamic totalitarianism. Not my fault they refuse to change their way of life. You attack Americans in the name of your God...we strike back under the name of ours.

[The_Media_never_lie]

If they would purge the ugly side of their religion, they could live in peace. They won't, so they can't.

The bad 85% make life hell for the other 15%.

[NowApproachingMidnight]

The article at the website is open for comments. FReep away!

[traderrob6]

“I can’t remember exactly where I was or what I was doing....”

Any decent American knows precisely where they were and exactly what they were doing.

So Tahira stay in Pakistan and worry about your issues cause frankly I couldn’t give a flying fu^k about you either.

[bigjoesaddle]

Thanks for comments here, a relative of mine, who is a strong Christian missionary, posted this on his facebook. I'm going to write and ask if he understands the insanity of this article, or if he agrees with it.

And as someone stated, you can post comments on the page itself...

[bigjoesaddle]

Yea, it was good! changed my Tagline