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Did We Learn the Lesson of 9/11?
Townhall.com ^ | September 12, 2019 | Ben Shapiro

Posted on 09/12/2019 3:00:16 AM PDT by Kaslin

It's now been nearly a full generation since Sept. 11, 2001. There are people currently serving in the U.S. military who weren't born when that act of evil took place -- and the military still has thousands of troops in Afghanistan, the home base of the Taliban-supported al Qaida attack on the United States that took nearly 3,000 American lives.

With time comes forgetfulness. The same period of time has now elapsed since Sept. 11 that elapsed between the end of World War I (1918) and the German re-occupation of the Rhineland in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles (1936). Believing that World War I had ended all war, the Allied powers did nothing. That same year, Germany concluded its Axis alliance with Italy, as well as its Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. Less than three years later, the world would be at war.

Forgetfulness is easy, because immediate costs are painful and steep. American foreign policy nearly always vacillates between two poles: isolationism and reactive interventionism. The American people (correctly) don't like the consequences of isolationism -- increased attacks on America and her allies, maximization of influence by our enemies -- but we also dislike (correctly) the consequences of maintaining a global military presence. It was easy to tear into the Clinton administration's weakness on defense in the aftermath of the Cold War, but there was almost no political cost in it for Clinton at the time. The sepia glow of media coverage regarding Barack Obama hasn't been darkened by his single-minded quest to minimize American influence around the world. CARTOONS | Robert Ariail View Cartoon

But every so often, we're reminded that the world is filled with enemies.

We were reminded of that unfortunate fact this week when President Trump withdrew an apparently secret invitation to the Taliban to visit Camp David. The Taliban was, is and will remain an Islamic terror group; it has continuously sought the murder of American soldiers and citizens for two decades. Why would the Trump administration think it a good idea to sign an agreement with radicals who seek to overthrow the administration of Afghanistan, support terrorism and despise the United States? Do members of the administration truly believe that any agreement signed by the Taliban will be binding?

The answer, of course, is no. That's why the talks fell apart, according to The New York Times -- a response from inside the administration in the aftermath of a terror attack on American soldiers this week, a recognition of the obvious.

The problem, of course, is that there are no easy solutions when it comes to foreign policy in the worst parts of the world. Everyone of good heart wants American soldiers out of Afghanistan and home. But how many Americans are willing to risk the increase in terrorism likely to follow such a withdrawal?

So long as we remember 9/11, the answer will be: very few.

Now, perhaps we should withdraw from Afghanistan. Perhaps the withdrawal is worth the risk. But American history isn't replete with circumstances in which precipitous withdrawal is followed by peace and security.

It's now been nearly a full generation since Sept. 11, 2001. There are people currently serving in the U.S. military who weren't born when that act of evil took place -- and the military still has thousands of troops in Afghanistan, the home base of the Taliban-supported al Qaida attack on the United States that took nearly 3,000 American lives.

With time comes forgetfulness. The same period of time has now elapsed since Sept. 11 that elapsed between the end of World War I (1918) and the German re-occupation of the Rhineland in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles (1936). Believing that World War I had ended all war, the Allied powers did nothing. That same year, Germany concluded its Axis alliance with Italy, as well as its Anti-Comintern Pact with Japan. Less than three years later, the world would be at war.

Forgetfulness is easy, because immediate costs are painful and steep. American foreign policy nearly always vacillates between two poles: isolationism and reactive interventionism. The American people (correctly) don't like the consequences of isolationism -- increased attacks on America and her allies, maximization of influence by our enemies -- but we also dislike (correctly) the consequences of maintaining a global military presence. It was easy to tear into the Clinton administration's weakness on defense in the aftermath of the Cold War, but there was almost no political cost in it for Clinton at the time. The sepia glow of media coverage regarding Barack Obama hasn't been darkened by his single-minded quest to minimize American influence around the world.

But every so often, we're reminded that the world is filled with enemies.

We were reminded of that unfortunate fact this week when President Trump withdrew an apparently secret invitation to the Taliban to visit Camp David. The Taliban was, is and will remain an Islamic terror group; it has continuously sought the murder of American soldiers and citizens for two decades. Why would the Trump administration think it a good idea to sign an agreement with radicals who seek to overthrow the administration of Afghanistan, support terrorism and despise the United States? Do members of the administration truly believe that any agreement signed by the Taliban will be binding?

The answer, of course, is no. That's why the talks fell apart, according to The New York Times -- a response from inside the administration in the aftermath of a terror attack on American soldiers this week, a recognition of the obvious.

The problem, of course, is that there are no easy solutions when it comes to foreign policy in the worst parts of the world. Everyone of good heart wants American soldiers out of Afghanistan and home. But how many Americans are willing to risk the increase in terrorism likely to follow such a withdrawal?

So long as we remember 9/11, the answer will be: very few.

Now, perhaps we should withdraw from Afghanistan. Perhaps the withdrawal is worth the risk. But American history isn't replete with circumstances in which precipitous withdrawal is followed by peace and security.

All of which means that American troops are likely to remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future. Few politicians will be bold enough to simply state that truth. After all, when John McCain said as much in 2008, he was roundly mocked by Barack Obama -- the same Obama who escalated the war in Afghanistan and retained thousands of troops there, despite promising withdrawal repeatedly. But our politicians should be brave enough to recognize that a weaker America on the world stage means a more vulnerable America at home. If we didn't learn that lesson on 9/11, we're bound to repeat it.

But every so often, we're reminded that the world is filled with enemies.

We were reminded of that unfortunate fact this week when President Trump withdrew an apparently secret invitation to the Taliban to visit Camp David. The Taliban was, is and will remain an Islamic terror group; it has continuously sought the murder of American soldiers and citizens for two decades. Why would the Trump administration think it a good idea to sign an agreement with radicals who seek to overthrow the administration of Afghanistan, support terrorism and despise the United States? Do members of the administration truly believe that any agreement signed by the Taliban will be binding?

The answer, of course, is no. That's why the talks fell apart, according to The New York Times -- a response from inside the administration in the aftermath of a terror attack on American soldiers this week, a recognition of the obvious.

The problem, of course, is that there are no easy solutions when it comes to foreign policy in the worst parts of the world. Everyone of good heart wants American soldiers out of Afghanistan and home. But how many Americans are willing to risk the increase in terrorism likely to follow such a withdrawal?

So long as we remember 9/11, the answer will be: very few.

Now, perhaps we should withdraw from Afghanistan. Perhaps the withdrawal is worth the risk. But American history isn't replete with circumstances in which precipitous withdrawal is followed by peace and security.

All of which means that American troops are likely to remain in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future. Few politicians will be bold enough to simply state that truth. After all, when John McCain said as much in 2008, he was roundly mocked by Barack Obama -- the same Obama who escalated the war in Afghanistan and retained thousands of troops there, despite promising withdrawal repeatedly. But our politicians should be brave enough to recognize that a weaker America on the world stage means a more vulnerable America at home. If we didn't learn that lesson on 9/11, we're bound to repeat it.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: 911anniversary; benshapiro; jihadinamerica; lessons
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1 posted on 09/12/2019 3:00:16 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

No, we have not learned anything from or since 9/11. All we did was follow Russia’s footsteps and experience in Afghanistan. Result, thousand of dead in misguided Bush war in Iraq, Pakistan and India are now nuclear powers, and the middle east is unsafer now than ever before. Worse, we ignored and cozied up to Saudi Arabia, whose government and citizens financed and conducted the attack on 9/11.


2 posted on 09/12/2019 3:06:29 AM PDT by Reno89519 (No Amnesty! No Catch-and-Release! Just Say No to All Illegal Aliens! Arrest & Deport!)
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To: Kaslin

Twice-elected muzzie president, since 9/11.


3 posted on 09/12/2019 3:06:37 AM PDT by Old Yeller (Auto-correct has become my worst enema.)
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To: Kaslin

No.


4 posted on 09/12/2019 3:08:40 AM PDT by Jack Hammer
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To: Kaslin

We have learned a few things since 911. We learned it was some dozen give or take officials in the Saudi Government that financed it. That’s something. We also learned that officials in both (that’s right, BOTH) the Bush and 0bama administration didn’t want Americans to realize this. That’s also “something”. Pretty goddam big something IMHO.


5 posted on 09/12/2019 3:11:06 AM PDT by wastoute (Government cannot redistribute wealth. Government can only redistribute poverty.)
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To: Kaslin

Did We Learn the Lesson of 9/11?


Nope, but everything I needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11.


6 posted on 09/12/2019 3:17:26 AM PDT by VTenigma (The Democrat party is the party of the mathematically challenged)
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To: Kaslin

We elect terrorists to congress now and want to negotiate with the Taliban.


7 posted on 09/12/2019 3:20:53 AM PDT by ifinnegan (Democrats kill babies and harvest their organs to sell)
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To: VTenigma

Amen and second it.


8 posted on 09/12/2019 3:23:52 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: Old Yeller

Yes, Otoken’s election showed we hadn’t learned anything - and the open borders remove all doubts.


9 posted on 09/12/2019 3:25:27 AM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Old Yeller

And add to that Omar and Talib in the House.


10 posted on 09/12/2019 3:26:30 AM PDT by MissEdie (I am South Carolina Strong.)
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To: ifinnegan

And to the CREDIT of a heroic gentleman who stood up to one of those terrorists,yesterday and took her down two steps,showed how to “school” them.


11 posted on 09/12/2019 3:28:24 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: Kaslin

The Littlest Chicken Hawk squeaks again.


12 posted on 09/12/2019 3:30:56 AM PDT by TTFlyer
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To: Kaslin

On a personal level, I learned what happens to a nation when it turns its back on God.


13 posted on 09/12/2019 3:35:10 AM PDT by gattaca ("Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives." Ronald Reagan)
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To: Kaslin

Learned the lesson? Well, this nation elected Barack HUSSEIN Obama president just 7 years after 9/11/01. He was partially raised as a Muslim in Indonesia, and promised to fundamentally change the U.S. He went around apologizing for this country and throwing all kinds of support to the Islamists. Even after all that, he was reelected.


14 posted on 09/12/2019 3:45:01 AM PDT by Avalon Memories (This Deplorable is not fooled by the Marxist-Stalinist totalitarians infesting the Dem Party.)
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To: Avalon Memories

To be fair, look at the two traitorous schmucks Hussein ran against.

Hussein was the unanimous choice of the UniParty/Deep State and he WILL be President because “America’s racist history.”

The UniParty/Deep State gets what it wants - or else. Ask Donald Trump.


15 posted on 09/12/2019 4:18:55 AM PDT by TTFlyer
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To: Reno89519


16 posted on 09/12/2019 4:21:09 AM PDT by Vlad The Inhaler (Liberals no longer glorify heroic deeds, They glorify whining that they call heroic)
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To: Kaslin

We learned to have secure doors between the cockpit and passenger area. Lack of those caused “911”.


17 posted on 09/12/2019 4:26:47 AM PDT by cymbeline
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To: Old Yeller

And our muozzie Prez bowed to the Saudi king. We also have imported enough radical Muslims to the point they now have enough votes to elect people like Tlab and Ilan Omar to national office.

No, we haven’t learned much since 9-11. Oh, and Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the main planner, is still to be tried.


18 posted on 09/12/2019 4:47:22 AM PDT by Cecily
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To: Kaslin

are we still training Muslims how to fly in US flying schools?? I know we train Muslim aircraft mechanics as one sabotaged an airliner last week.


19 posted on 09/12/2019 5:09:04 AM PDT by elpadre (AfganistaMr Obama said theoal was to "disrupt, dismantle and defeat al-hereQaeda" and its allies.)
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To: Kaslin

No.
Or there would be no Moslems in Congress, Moslem immigration and visas would be almost completely curtained, and CAIR would be outlawed.


20 posted on 09/12/2019 5:29:36 AM PDT by Little Ray (Freedom Before Security!)
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