[Aerial]

Cause and effect apply more happily to physical phenomena than to historical events. IMHO, cause and effect are not useful metaphors for understanding history; rocks do not have motives--people do.

Oh...and what makes for the motives of people?

What "caused" the "effect" of the 9-11 attacks? We have seen different reasons given:

Hatred of the U.S.
Jealousy of the U.S.
Our support of Israel.
Islamic Jihad.

...to name a few...

Or did God wave a magic want and POOF...it just happened?

[headsonpikes]

"...what makes for the motives of people?"

A very good question...and one that is certainly not addressed by even 1% of so-called analysis of the news.

Osama and his various allies undoubtedly have a host of motives for doing what they did.

There has been little speculation about this specific question, either.

Most writers try to construct some sort of cause/effect chain. A vain fantasy, IMHO.

So, no 'magic wands', no 'cause and effect', just the same age-old MOTIVES that have driven human life for millennia.

But 'motives' are now forbidden in most analysis. Why?

Because it opens the door for THOUGHT, and that would be dangerous.