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Week of 9 September 2002 Moving past the sadness and looking forward 11 September 2002 On this saddest of days it is almost churlish to say that it is time to move on. But it is. So many people, in the USA and elsewhere have suffered as a result of the attacks on America a year ago today. The images of that day will always be with us. But the significance of the day extends well beyond its tragic events. And actions taken now will define the geopolitical and economic life of our planet for a generation. Worryingly the AWSJ in its leader today states: "Our duty today remains not only to avenge those deaths...Mr. Bush's new pre-emption doctrine is a strategic breakthrough appropriate to this new era..." Surely the modern response is not to not about fighting violence with more violence. It is about finding a way to common and better understanding, it is about diplomacy, it is about closing the terrorists access to funds, it is about exchanging information, it is about better intelligence. Defence used to be about deterrence. It should remain so. As I have said before the doctrine of pre-emption sets a dangerous and belligerent precedent. Issues have become muddled. A small and widely unknown group of terrorists led by a Saudi outcast, became, a year ago, a household name led by the world's most wanted man. That he and his followers should be brought to justice is not in any doubt. That we have failed to do so is an inditement of our intelligence efforts. It also says a great deal about the ability of his followers to garner support and protection from the Muslim world. It is especially worrying that the Americans have done so much to enrage rather than engage the overwhelmingly peaceful Muslim population since September 11. Americans still appear to have a sense that their great nation is under seige. That they are at war. That questioning the administration's hawkish leadership is somehow unpatriotic. In Asia we are right to express concern about the possibility, and the impact, of an unending confrontation. We can express our sadness, offer our condolences and our support. We should pay our respects. We should be moved by today's ceremonies in New York, Washington and Somerset County, Penn. I do believe that the USA will listen to and engage friends; unilateralism will move the world further to the precipice. Where were you on September 11th? 10 September 2002 I remember only too well where I was as the attacks on America took place. I was at 1,000 feet turning right to start a circuit at Kissimmee Airport in Florida on my first and as it turned out only flying lesson. I have always wanted to learn how to fly. I had the time. And I had enrolled in a Flying School in Florida. There were no backgrounds checks, not in those days. I provided my credit card details. The school booked accommodation and lessons. The trip was fated from the start. Climbing out of Hong Kong on Continental's non stop flight to Newark the plane had a cabin depressurisation at about 28,000 feet. It was eerie. It was quiet. It was not an explosive decompression. There was just a silence. The plane dived to a lower altitude. People (too slowly) put on their oxygen masks. But everything was working; there were no holes in the plane. The engines were still turning. We leveled off. The pilot (who had presumably changed his trousers and negotiated with ATC in Hong Kong and Guangzhou) advised that a valve had failed, that we would dump fuel for at least 75 minutes (we were meant to be flying over 16 hours non stop) and that we would return to HKG. So United flew me to Orlando the following day. Kissimmee was foggy on the Monday. The only flying was IFR. No use to me. My first lesson was booked for 9.00am on Tuesday 11 September. I walked out to the plane with my Norwegian instructor. We checked the plane. My mobile rang. I did not pick it up; I switched it off. Did not want the distraction. It turned out to be a friend calling form New York to warn me what was happening. We taxi-ed to the end of Runway 15. Took off. Climbed and turned. And ATC tells all planes to land immediately as US airspace was now closed. He explains to another pilot on an open frequency that a plane has hit the world trade center. We landed. Tied the little Cessna down. And went to watch TV in the lounge at the FBO. The room was full with instructors and want-to-be pilots; people taking multi-engine and commercial licenses. Everyone knew that the industry they loved would never be the same again. The school was closed all week. All the Florida flying schools know each other and by the end of the week all were helping with records of past students.
That weekend a hurricane blew through Orlando. It was time to go home. The dream is postponed. Indeed the dream may even be cancelled. The magic of flying became a nightmare that day. As I flew back through Newark on another stunning Autumn day this was the view from the airport - six days after the attack the fires were still burning and the smoke still hung over the city. Let us hope that on tomorrow's anniversary we can all mourn or reflect in peace.
The following article is from the 10 September edition of The Guardian newspaper. There is a great deal of wisdom here: the copyright in the article is of course owned by the author and The Guardian newspaper. Terrorism is truly a great evil
and we've made it worse 9 September 2002 This will be a week of reflection and worry. September 11th is still so fresh in our memories. There remains a fear is of further attacks likely with the same elements of surprise and shock as the devastating attacks of a year ago. And there remains the threat of war in the middle east. Certainly the world is a scarier place. In part because a sleeping America has been woken. The world's mightiest fighting machine only had some fourteen fighter jets ready and armed at the time of the attack on the World Trade Centre. A new doctrine of pre-emption is now used to justify pending attacks on nations perceived as a threat. In part also because the attacks have allowed the USA to isolate themselves; rather than engage the rest of the world they have disengaged. If you are not with us you are against us. The US has less friends now than in the aftermath of September 11th and significantly less international sympathy and understanding. There will be a frenzy of flag waving this week. George Bush will be engaging the United Nations on Thursday 12th in New York. His speech, symbolically being made in the city so violently assaulted a year previously, will set the tone for the diplomatic engagement or war. Just maybe enough civilian lives have been lost in the "war on terror" on both sides. Lets all take a deep breath; let us be sad, but not vengeful, let us be watchful but not paranoid. Let us go about our daily lives this week in peace. And why don't we all make an effort this week to better understand the people around us.
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