Twelve years ago this morning, the first airliner hit the tower, as I was about to leave for work. When I arrived, I learned about the second hit. My duties that day were to contact top executives of Fortune 500 companies headquartered in New York on behalf of our client, a major developer of computer operating systems, to arrange site visits and one-on-one executive interviews for our client’s research team. What timing! I felt uncomfortable calling, but the account exec’s assistant, an airhead and a Republican, ordered me to go to work. Many of my executive contacts were in the Twin Towers. I got on the telephone. Nobody was answering, and many of the lines were out of order. I did get through and spoke to a man in one of the towers above the fire, who knew he would not survive. He said he couldn’t dial out and gave me his home number. He asked me to call his wife and tell her he loved her. I did. She was pretty hysterical. Who could blame her! That shook me up so much that I went to the account executive’s office, and told him I was done for the day. He asked me what idiot had told me to call into New York under these circumstances. She blushed and left the room. Because of that experience, I cannot think of 9/11 without my heart going out to the people who lost loved ones that tragic day, and I consider it imperative to do whatever we can, within reason, to prevent a reoccurrence. One failing, in that regard, is that we often ask who and how, but all too seldom, ask why. So as we remember the events of 9/11/2001, perhaps it may help if we consider the other 9/11, 9/11/1973.
Twenty eight years earlier, the roles were reversed. Instead of being attacked, the US had arranged and was assisting an attack to overthrow the democratically elected government of Chile, and the installation of one of the most infamous dictators of the twentieth century, Augusto Pinochet. An article by Peter Kornblug from August 2003 describes and explains those events.
On September 14, 1970, a deputy to then-National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger wrote him a memo, classified SECRET/SENSITIVE, arguing against covert operations to block the duly elected Chilean socialist Salvador Allende from assuming the presidency. "What we propose is patently a violation of our own principles and policy tenets," noted Viron Vaky. "If these principles have any meaning, we normally depart from them only to meet the gravest threat to us., e.g. to our survival. Is Allende a mortal threat to the U.S.?" Vaky asked. "It is hard to argue this."
Kissinger ignored this advice. The next day he participated in a now-famous meeting where President Nixon instructed CIA Director Richard Helms to "save Chile" by secretly fomenting a coup to prevent Allende’s inauguration. When those covert operations failed, Kissinger goaded Nixon into instructing the entire national security bureaucracy "on opposing Allende" and destabilizing his government. "Election of Allende as president of Chile poses one of [the] most serious challenges ever faced in this hemisphere," says a newly declassified briefing paper Kissinger gave to Nixon two days after Allende’s inauguration. "Your decision as to what to do may be most historic and difficult foreign affairs decision you will have to make this year…. If all concerned do not understand that you want Allende opposed as strongly as we can, result will be steady draft toward modus vivendi approach."
Had Washington adopted a "modus vivendi approach," it is possible that Chileans, indeed citizens around the world, would not be solemnly commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the coup that brought Gen. Augusto Pinochet to power. In the United States, the meaning of this anniversary is, understandably, overshadowed by the shock and tragedy of our own 9/11. But Chile reminds us that the topics of debate on US foreign policy today–pre-emptive strikes, regime change, the arrogance of unilateral intervention, unchecked covert action and secrecy and dishonesty in government–are not new. From the thousands of formerly classified US documents released over the past several years, the picture that emerges strikes some haunting parallels with the news of the day.
Chile, it must be recalled, constitutes a classic example of a pre-emptive strike–a set of operations launched well before Salvador Allende set foot in office. Nixon ordered the CIA on September 15, 1970, to "make the economy scream" and to foment a military move to block Allende from being inaugurated six weeks later, in November; the Chilean leader had yet to formulate or authorize a single policy detrimental to US interests. "What happens over [the] next 6-10 months will have ramifications far beyond US-Ch[ilean] relations," Kissinger predicted in a dire warning to Nixon only forty-eight hours after Allende actually took office. "Will have effect on what happens in rest of LA and developing world; our future position in hemisphere; on larger world picture…even effect our own conception of what our role in the world is."
As in the distorted threat assessment on Iraq, this was sheer speculation–unsupported, indeed contradicted, by US intelligence. In August 1970 CIA, State and Defense Department analysts had determined that "the US has no vital national interests within Chile," and that the world "military balance of power would not be significantly altered" if Allende came to power… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <The Nation>
For many years, the United States has treated the rest of the world, particularly third world nations, as the private reserve of an American economic empire, repeatedly using force, usually covertly, any time a nation had the audacity to suggest that their resources should benefit their own people, not US corporations. Neither party is blameless, but the majority and most heinous of such actions occurred during Republican administrations. In the twentieth century, the United States overthrew more democratically elected governments and installed more dictators than any other nation ever has. No nation can stand toe-to-toe against the US on the battlefield, so guerilla tactics are the only option available to nations who would oppose us.
We should also remember that there would be no such thing as Al Qaeda, had not Republicans under Reagan financed it’s formation to perform terrorist attacks against the USSR.
I do not hate this country. I love the USA enough to insist that we return to practicing the principles we claim to profess. These are the lessons we need to learn to prevent future terrorists attacks against the US. If we practice oppression, we guarantee resistance. If we practice partnership, we will usually get cooperation. We need to stop trying to control other countries by force, To forestall terrorism, we must first stop participating in and supporting terrorism ourselves.
For the last lesson, let’s return to the story with which I began. Shortly after the account executive agreed that I was done for the day, the company shut down for the rest of the day too. Several of us gathered around the TV in the lunch room. Knowing that I am politically involved, coworkers asked me what was going to happen. I told them that I thought Bush would use the attack as an excuse to do two things: to invade Iraq and to curtail civil liberates guaranteed under our Constitution. The last lesson is this. If we adopt the tactics of evil to oppose evil, we become no different than the evil we oppose.
Even if we do all that, we must still be vigilant. Sadly there are forces in pseudo-Islam that pursue hatred against America, just as there are forces in pseudo-Christianity that pursue hatred against Muslims, both for their own respective right-wing political agendas. Both are equally dangerous.
This article appeared here previously two years ago. I consider it worth bringing back.
16 Responses to “Lest It Happen Again!”
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A true friend will celebrate your success, has the courage to tell you when you are wrong, cry with you when you need consoling, and laugh with you when you're a bit goofy! So too, a true patriot has the courage to acknowledge his country's short comings and work to fix them.
I remember 9/11/73 and of course 9/11/01, both heinous in their terror and duplicity.
When I think of Chile, I think of this song sung by Holly Near which started as a response to Kent State but mentions Victor Jara, teacher and poet, who was murdered about 16/09/73 as part of Augusto Pinochet's coup. The words follow but here too is a link to her performance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CadP4dRemYk
We would all be best to remember these words.
Reading about the two 9/11 events, I am drawn to "American Exceptionalism" and the fallacy that the original idea has become. This from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_exceptionalism
TC said:
Amen TC!
Thanks Lynn.
Thanks for the article on Chile and Allende and Nixon – I knew Nixon was evil but I didn't know how much! Strewth!!! God bless Viron Vaky for having principles and risking offending Kissinger! This all happened when I was a teenager – and news was harder to get then too – so I didn't know the details that you have given us – but I am both shocked and revolted by them! Nixon was a sociopath wasn't he – if he wanted to do something then it was axiomatically right, no matter how illegal or immoral it was, or how many people would suffer and die! Yeugh!
I'm so sorry your lunatic boss made you phone up firms in the Twin Towers as they were being destroyed – but so glad that it was you who contacted the poor man who couldn't phone out and desperately wanted you to phone his wife. That must have been such a comfort to him in his desperation – but so hard for you to do. And you were dead right in what you predicted about Bush's actions as a result. (Ditto for this country and others by the way).
Every time one of our leaders does awful things – they never see or care about the consequences that we all have to live with down the line, not just for years, but for decades and hundreds of years. They sow the wind – and we reap the whirlwind.
Thanks Pat It was hard on me, but I guewss it served a higher purpose than she intended.
"I do not hate this country. I love the USA enough to insist that we return to practicing the principles we claim to profess. These are the lessons we need to learn to prevent future terrorists attacks against the US. If we practice oppression, we guarantee resistance. If we practice partnership, we will usually get cooperation. We need to stop trying to control other countries by force, To forestall terrorism, we must first stop participating in and supporting terrorism ourselves."
AMEN!
Thanks Patty!
Wow Tom, "A true Hero"
On 9/11 12 yrs ago My Husband and I were completely obvious to what was going on that morning we were without Tv( was waiting for the cable guy to come by later). When I got to work I had no idea what was going on a coworker ask me "Do you think we will be busy today?" and "I said yes people love to shop." The coworker said nothing to me. I guess he thought I was nuts. Of course I did fine out and we did not have more that a couple customers come in that day.(We ended up closing early) It was a very sad and long day
Nope. I was just in the right place at the right time.
The shock you felt, when it finally dawned on you, must have been intense.
9/11 brought out the very best in Americans for several weeks …
And the very worst for years after – in ways both large (war and loss of civil liberties) and small.
Here's an ad for golf course in Wisconsin featuring a "Twelfth Anniversary of 9/11" deal of 9 holes of golf (with cart) for $9.11 or 18 holes of golf (with cart) for $19.11.
Besides the fact that it's actually CHEAPER to buy TWO rounds of 9 holes, what the HELL were they thinking?!?
Well said, and well linked Nameless That's a Republican level of competence.!
For many years now, the U.S. has been the exemplar of the adage that "power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
I have long been a student of ancient history, and the parallels between what happened in ancient Rome and what is happening in the U.S today are too frightening to ignore.
As horrible as 9/11 was, and as tragic as it was for everyone involved, there is no way to escape the fact that we brought it upon ourselves. Unfortunately, our government's response only made it worse.
I don't hate the U.S, I do hate what we are becoming.
Well said, John.
I love our country, but I deplore what our government has become.
Amen, Edie!
Excellent article on President Nixon, CIA Director Richard Helms and Chile. I was a young pup but I enjoy learning the truth… I joined the Military while young to escape abuse at home but, I survived… 🙂
Thanks Richard!
I'd say impossible, because Allende was a Social Democrat, not a totalitarian.