Summary

The article is an open letter from Americans who lived through 9/11, reflecting on the aftermath of the attacks and cautioning Israel against repeating similar mistakes in its response to its own national tragedies.

Abstract

The piece, titled "An Open Letter To Israel From America’s 9/11 Generation," expresses empathy for Israel's pain following a recent tragedy on October 7, 2023, drawing parallels to the 9/11 attacks in the United States. It recounts the immediate shock and subsequent actions taken by the U.S., including the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq as part of the war on terror. The author reflects on the mixed outcomes of these actions, noting the high financial costs, loss of civilian lives, and the arguably ineffective measures implemented in the name of security, such as the creation of the TSA. The letter also touches on the erosion of privacy rights and the damage to America's global reputation. It serves as a cautionary tale, urging Israel to consider the long-term consequences of its response to terrorism and to strive for a more just and effective path forward.

Opinions

The author and many Americans feel a deep connection with Israel's suffering, likening it to their own experience post-9/11.
There is a sense of regret and criticism regarding the U.S. response to 9/11, particularly the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, which are seen as costly and largely ineffective.
The article suggests that the U.S. overemphasized military intervention in its war on terror, potentially creating more terrorists than it eliminated.
The author implies that the U.S. lost its war on terror and cautions Israel against making similar mistakes.
There is an opinion that the creation of the TSA and other security measures, while well-intentioned, have been largely ineffective and imposed significant burdens on American citizens.
The piece reflects on the loss of privacy rights in the U.S. post-9/11, indicating that some of the laws passed in the name of national security may have gone too far.
The author emphasizes that a majority of Americans now view the Afghanistan and Iraq wars as mistakes and failures, respectively.
The letter encourages Israel to learn from America's errors and to choose a wiser, more measured response to terrorism to avoid a similar outcome where terrorism is perceived as the victor.

An Open Letter To Israel From America’s 9/11 Generation

Praying that history does not repeat

Hello to Israel.

Photo by Mohammed Ibrahim on Unsplash. Cropped by author.

This letter is from the thoughtful, decent Americans who experienced 9/11 and its aftermath.

First and foremost we want to make clear to you that WE FEEL YOUR PAIN. We offer our condolences to the families of your mothers, fathers, sons, and daughters lost on October 7, 2023. We care for all of you caught up in the horror of that moment.

America’s 9/11 was similar to Israel’s 10/7.

On the morning of 9/11/2001, millions of Americans heard that a commercial airliner had crashed into the World Trade Center North Tower at 8:46am. We watched black smoke drift up against an otherwise perfect blue sky.

We urged the 9,000 people in the tower to walk out safely. Seventeen minutes later, millions witnessed another plane hurtle into the South Tower. A half-hour later we heard that a third plane had crashed into the US Pentagon, and then a fourth fell into a field. By 10:28am both towers, symbols of America’s economic power and righteousness, had collapsed into twisted heaps of steel, concrete, and grey dust. The American bodies had evaporated.

Thousands visited the site in the following weeks. I remember the air so odd and acrid. America, like Israel, was under a bitter attack.

We were horrified at the loss of 3,000 Americans.

We became angry that our leaders had been caught unawares.

We launched ourselves on the path of revenge.

We reveled over the Afghanistan invasion.

We invaded Iraq to further our war on terror.

Twenty-two years later, decent Americans try not to think back to the months after 9/11. Even the most anti-war among us had argued that the Taliban were medieval and anti-women. Every US politician cheered the invasion. Disagreement was not tolerated.

Eighteen months after 9/11, we genuinely debated the invasion of Iraq but still swept ourselves up into the wonder of American self-righteousness.

Today it remains painful to think of those times. Only out of concern for Israel do we force ourselves to recount the impact of our war on terror. It frightens us that October 2023 feels achingly similar to September 2001.

How successful has America’s 9/11 response been?

We were able to kill Osama Bin Laden, the architect of 9/11, but we missed the targets elsewhere. The price we paid was shockingly high. Our Secretary of Defense underestimated the financial cost of the Iraq War by more than 100-times.

Elimination of the Enemy In Afghanistan

The Taliban rule Afghanistan today like they did in 2000. Women’s rights are the same as before the invasion.

Elimination of the Enemy in Iraq

Saddam Hussein is dead, but Iraq remains an authoritarian state. Iraq is thought to be “not free” by Freedom House, but citizens do appear to have more rights than under Saddam. The peak strength of ISIS has been tamped down, but it and other anti-West organizations remain.

Lives Lost

The Watson Institute has determined that over 230,000 civilians lost their lives directly as a result of America’s invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. Total casualties in the broader conflict, including Syria, Pakistan, and Yemen are over 900,000.

US Costs —Financial

The US Special Inspector General observed that the US expended $6.4 trillion dollars on these two wars alone, a little more than the US federal budget in 2022. All-in estimates are far higher.

US Costs — Air Travel

The US restored air travel within a few days of 9/11. It created the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and will spend $10.5 billion, not quite half the size of Israel’s 2022 military budget, on the agency in 2023. Security processes impose 225 million hours of delays each year on US travelers. The measures have been determined to be ineffective by many studies and tests.

US Costs — Right to Privacy

In the interest of national security, sweeping laws were passed after 9/11 that gave US agencies the right to access private communications with minimal justification. Some of these laws remain in place today, though the Patriot Act does not.

US Public Opinion 20 Years Later

Twenty years after the Afghanistan invasion, 62% of Americans believe that it was a mistake. 71% think it a failure. A different survey twenty years after the Iraq War began, identified that another 62% of Americans thought the Iraq War not worth fighting.

World Reputation

America’s decisions after 9/11 harmed its reputation in the West and deeply so in the East. The killing of civilians has possibly created more terrorists than it has removed.

The US Ambassador to China (and at one time to NATO) has publicly stated that the Iraq invasion “damaged US credibility.” Nonetheless, per most surveys, the US is still viewed favorably by Western civilians.

Israel has looked towards the United States for approval of its assault on Gaza. Like a good friend, US leadership has supported Israel.

We Dream About Virtuous Wars

Even when war is not the answer

americanbutterfly.medium.com

Israeli leadership has surely considered the poor US performance after 9/11 and assures itself that Israel will not fall so short. By the simplest of measures, the US lost the Afghanistan War, it falsely justified its invasion of Iraq, and the broader war on terror took upwards of 400,000 civilian lives while spending almost $9 trillion dollars.

Osama Bin Laden enticed the United States to stab deeply into the fibers of truth and justice.

Americans who endured 9/11 and the two decades since believe Israel can perform better than the United States did.

But only if Israel chooses wisely. And soon.

Again, we ask ourselves the question: Who won 9/11?

Objectively, terrorism won that day and the months after. The Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, declared that the US lost its war on terror by overemphasizing direct military intervention — effectively elevating the status of a very small number of terrorists.

Americans don’t want to arrive at the moment when historians declare Hamas or its successors winners over Israel.

Israel, please choose well.

You still have time to learn from America’s errors.

Comments are welcome. Claps are deeply appreciated.

Israel’s Quandary — Asleep In a Self-Induced Coma

So sad for our friends. So sad for us all.

americanbutterfly.medium.com

J. Andrew Shelley has spent years in startups that did nice stuff. Some stalling. Some selling. One for over half a billion dollars. But none making him rich. He now distills life into worthwhile stories that bring to light the many sides of truth.

Please subscribe to read his stories and check out his book American Butterfly. It tells the story of America’s Culture War through the lens of a Southern family suffering great loss.