9/11 COMMEMORATION

IS THE WORLD ANY SAFER?

Exactly a decade ago, an infamous act happened. I was on our verandah or porch (depending) playing what is locally named “counters ball” with crown corks from drinks when an announcement was made on the radio that there had been an airplane accident in the US. I stopped what I was doing and rushed to switch on my dad’s TV since I was very pro-America at the time. What I saw…… to put in the words of Rasputin, I saw a huge bird of titanium bank slowly and smash into the tallest building in the world. It was the second plane,  and after reports of the third plane hitting the ground in Pennsylvania, the US knew obviously it had come under attack.

The incident, as well as the 1999 embassy bombings in Nairobi, was blamed on Osama Bin Laden and his merry (what??) band of former mujahideens named Al Qaeda. From 2001, America invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, and hunted the seemingly perpetually evasive Osama Bin Laden until May in the year 2011, a near decade after 9/11. Bin Laden’s death was hailed as a victory, and celebrated loudly especially in Washington and New York, whilst elsewhere, Ayman al-Zawahiri was chosen to succeed the dead Osama.

The question is, has the world been any safer since the death of the “villain” Osama? Can we describe the world as safer, a decade after 9/11 than pre-9/11? American troops are still bogged down in Iraq, and Afghanistan is still a battlefield. Is the world any safer now than before? The “Political inequality” that caused men like Bin Laden and Zawahiri to start the Al Qaeda still exists. Religious fundamentalism, which has caused so much misery still exists, and the state of Nigeria epitomises this. There, in the central city of Jos, Christians and Muslims fight each other whilst in north of the same country, a part-religious part-terrorist group Boko Haram fight to abolish western education  or civilisation, what with all the lesbianism, gayism and human rights abuse that fly on the wings of western civilisation.

These days, socio-economic problems pose more threats to world peace than geopolitical issues. Famine, disease and natural disasters such as the tsunami which affected Japan’s nuclear plant which would have poisoned millions, and the hurricanes which batter the US east-coast yearly. These are the issues we must focus on. Let us strive to eliminate the inequality and exploitation. The US and Europe have exploited Africa and now the Chinese do same. Almost every group, tribe and sect says it is being treated unfairly (ironically). Israelis and Palestinians both complain of inequality. Disease and Famine are destroying Africa, the Polar Ice Caps are melting, Global Warming is on the rise, and the Climate is changing fast. These are the issues we must address.

As we celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of 9/11, let us begin to think of, and tackle these new security issues before we are made to celebrate their anniversary, for posterity will be our judges. CAN THE WORLD BE ANY SAFER?!