The events of September 11, 2001 changed the world. Julian reflects on several interpretations of what they meant, proposing that each is a kind of Rorschach-test result based on our own religious and political beliefs, backgrounds, and social conditioning. 

The conspiracy theorist simply can’t believe something like that could happen to America, going in search of complicated alternative explanations that exist outside of the “official narrative,” even of reality itself.

Where the Christian conservative might see a call to Holy War signaling that the End Times is near, Neocon warhawks surrounding Bush observe an opportunity to enact plans for maintaining economic and political power and security.

Meanwhile, many on the left see the attack as justifiable “blowback” against American imperialism, Cold War atrocities, and Western colonialism. Religion is merely an inflaming of a fundamentalist minority based on political injustices.

What about the Soviet Union? The history of political Islam and massive Muslim caliphates that ruled for nearly 1,300 years? The intractable sectarian conflicts and the multiple internal ideologies vying for control over the Middle East?

There may be no easy answers, but perhaps engaging with these different perspectives can allow us to name some of the many factors that got us to 9/11 and the seemingly unsolvable dilemmas of our world today.

Show Notes

Popular Mechanics on 911 conspiracies

Noam Chomsky on 911 conspiracies

Pilger on Project for A New American Century

NYT 2023 Piece on the Reasons for Iraq War

Saddam’s Ruthless Purge

CNN on Kabul attitudes after US Invasion

Polling of Iraqis

Mahmood Mamdani Good Muslim, Bad Muslim Interview

Human Rights Watch on Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan

Taimur Rahman’s Red Star History of Political Islam Lectures
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