The Revival of the Bin Laden Letter

I've enjoyed following some of the recent furor surrounding the so-called Bin Laden Letter which first emerged (I believe) in 2002.

Most who remember 9/11 are immediately hit by a flood of emotions as they remember the unfolding trauma of that day. I too remain fascinated by it and probably once every year I re-watch a lot of the news coverage and reflect on that day and all that came after. It was a day that one cannot forget. My emotional response was rather different than most Americans but again – I lived it and remember it as an adult.

Generation Z does not remember it – they grew up in its aftermath. Some of my children were alive but too little to have experienced the day. And yet as I'm sure my children can affirm, 9/11 is always there, it comes up in conversation all the time and in connection to various topics. But there isn't that emotional investment and entanglement that immediately takes over for those Americans old enough to have experienced it as teenagers or adults.

And so as some younger folks have re-discovered this letter – especially in light of Israel's war on Gaza, they are left somewhat dazed. Bin Laden's arguments are not the ravings of a mad man but actually fairly cogent and coherent. The older generation is outraged because his views are not to be entertained or considered but roundly and unequivocally condemned. To even consider them is tantamount to a kind of social heresy.

The one point that seems to be missing from the coverage is the fact that letter revealed (as some pointed out at the time) that the Bush narrative was an utter lie. The letter belies his claims that al Qaeda attacked the US because they hate our freedom, they hate that we vote, that we have free speech, and can shop and buy what we want and attend sporting events or whatever. What utter nonsense – and there were plenty of us who knew it at the time.

No, al Qaeda attacked the US for its murderous and avaricious foreign policy that had inflicted great pain and suffering on the people of the Middle East and had worked to subvert their societies and governments. And yes, they also viewed this policy (in concert with the House of Saud) as an affront to Islam and US troops based in Arabia as an affront to their sacral view of that land.

They did not view 9/11 as an attack but a retaliation – what was really a paltry attempt to awaken the American public to the evils of their government and its economic and foreign policy. They utterly failed because no one got the message.

Instead American leaders spun the message and turned into 'they hate us because we're free' and on the basis of these deceits launched a series of wars and other military actions. Several million have died and whole societies have been destroyed. Over twenty years later the Middle East is still reeling and obviously the Israel-Palestinian situation has only grown worse and the Islamic world knows full well that Israel would not exist if it were not for US backing. It would not be able to enact its brutal policies if not for US financial and diplomatic support. And needless to say, Tel Aviv would not be able to wage wars (like the present conflict in Gaza) if not for US backing and military aid.

In many cases the US is directly financing these wars, providing the weapons, and assisting in everything from logistics to intelligence. US officials theatrically urge caution, make promises, and even at times issue warnings but the end result is the same – the US backs Israel. Why? Israel is America's proxy in the Middle East. If it didn't exist the US would have to create it as it is 'the base' for US policy in the region.

This war is America's war and it is but the latest chapter in a long war that has extended for decades – the result of the Cold War's end and the US quest for unipolarity and global hegemony. The US public is largely ignorant of this but the rest of the world knows the score. And yet what can be done? Nothing and so some driven by desperation, zeal, and wicked idolatry turned to mass murder. And 9/11 was murder whether or not those who died that day can be spoken of as truly innocent or not. There are degrees of guilt and responsibility but the attackers dared to take justice into their own hands and instead perverted it and committed murder in the process.

I'm not sure how much of this the Generation Z commentators are able to grasp. I do know the Establishment and especially the Right is desperate to spin this and make it about TikTok and China corrupting the minds of American youth. That's rubbish too. I don't place a lot of hope in Generation Z but the thought that some of them (having grown up in a time of endless war, economic uncertainty, mass violence and general social and political decay) might question the official narrative, is something I find encouraging.

If war breaks out with China in the coming years as many expect, this generation will be called on to participate. God willing some of them will be sceptical enough to pause and evaluate the arguments and narratives provided by the state – as well they should.