9/11 Comm Report -- the word - Israel - does not appear in Exec Summ

[hansolsen]

Cross posted from editorial section

Letter to the Editors
New York Times

Dear Editors:


The 9/11 Commission Report is notable for what it leaves out, and tragically so. It leaves out virtually any reference to the state of Israel, the Arab / Israeli dispute, and the implications for American security.

The subject is mentioned only briefly in the body of the report in the following sentence:

"It (meaning their motivation for attacking America), is further fed by grievances stressed by Bin Ladin and widely felt throughout the Muslim world—against the U.S. military presence in the Middle East, policies perceived as anti-Arab and anti-Muslim, and support of Israel."

In the Executive Summary, the offending word, Israel, is scrubbed away. Here is the revised wording in the section meant for public consumption:

"Bin Ladin also stresses grievances against the United States widely shared in the Muslim world. He inveighed against the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia, which is the home of Islam's holiest sites, and against other U.S. policies in the Middle East."

Is it realy too much trouble for the Commissioners to spell out what those "grievances" are? Is there no room in this summary to mention the grievance that comes ready to hand for every angry young Muslim on the Arabian penninsula? And why can't the commissioners even consider that some aspect of those grievances may be valid??

If political leaders and the mass media refuse to allow a full and meaningful debate about the future of Israel, and various options for solving the long standing impasse, that will be an insult to American democracy and a dangerous travesty. The 9/11 Commission Report makes that travesty manifest.

I, for one, do not like it.

Hans Olsen

[Jim Sagle]

1. Well, boo fucking hoo.

[Union Thug]

2. Zionism is always given a free pass....

...get into line, boy.

[undergroundrailroad]

3. Locking per I/P Guidelines.

Subject line must match title of article posted.

Underground Railroad
DU Moderator
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