to think that if 9/11 had happened anywhere else we wouldn't be remembering it ten years on?

[wannaBe]

... or probably even one year on.

I am not taking away from how horrific it was for all who were directly affected.

But if it had been anywhere but America the world would have moved on and we wouldn't be facing wall-to-wall coverage ten years on. Even if it had been the UK only the UK would be remembering.

Over a million people marched the streets of London against the war in Iraq.

The world and the UK are much safer place now that Taliban is ousted from power in Afghanistan. I agree with David Mililband on Question Time last Thursday, the insurgency there could and should have solved through political negotiations.

Please stop paying attention to Kerry. She can shout on her own. Her story belongs with 'Elvis is on the Moon' one iykwim.

Why ARE we fighting in Afghanistan? What is the desired outcome?

I asked that hours ago Porto, and it seems nobody knows.

Oil isnt it, as to why were fighting in Afghanistan! Thats what i thought, well tbh i thought at first its cos they thought OBL was there but then it turned into an oil war. OBL is dead now (or so they say) so why are they still fighting.

Off you go then Kerry.

Let me stand corrected that actually you have a point, rather then what I believe to be the case, which is, you just like to make one.

I fear I will be waiting a long time.

kerrymumbles name calling

Mmmmm, yes, but then, I could always report your first 'fuck off' post to me - but I haven't because 1. I couldn't care less, and 2. I'm not that petty.

Why don't you go and spout conspiracy theories on some other thread?

There is no oil in Afghanistam to my knowledge. Opium poppies yes, oil no. I want to understand why we are fighting.

I do believe it has a big oil pipeline running through it (though could have made that up...)

guys, I am just a simple soul but i understand that the first mission to enter Afghanistan was to remove Taliban that " harboured" al qaeda militants. once this was achieve it became clear that the Afghani state was too weak to maintain controls once the coalition was gone. btw, coalition forces are much wider than just so-called "western world" powers.

i find it very credible. the loss of british and indeed coalition lives is dreadful, and there may have been a better solution, but the notion that we should not have gone their is wrong

in my opinion

You threw the first stone though kerry, oh and you're talking crap.

Wannabe, I see where you are coming from. I don't agree, but there are elements which are true.

The fact is that 9/11 was so shocking because America is a SuperPower. Security, Intelligence, Money, Power. For a country that is THAT powerful to be brought to its knees, is phenomenal, and NO-ONE would have imagined it.

For what it's worth, I think that had the devestation been caused in the UK, it would have had a similar impact. Except of course, that we don't have buildings that are as humungous as the WTC.

The event didn't just shake America, it shook the world. Because let's face it, if they can do it there, they can do it anywhere.

If that had been, say, a poor war-torn country, then no, I don't think it would have the same coverage, impact or effect

The real impact was that it was transcending the boundaries of the USA. It was an attack on Western Civilisation. Ruthlessly co-ordinated, meticulously planned, devestatingly effective. RIP.

Afghanistan I understand (to an extent) as bemy just said, Taliban harbouring Al-Qaeda who were responsible for 9/11.

But Iraq...????

on the news when they are talking about the war in afghan they aways mention oil. so thought it was cos of oil.

But Bin Laden is dead - and strangely they didn't find him in either Iraq or Afghanistan.....

bemybebe I believe it was because the US had reason to believe bin Laden was in Afghanistan. Afghanistan and Pakistan were harbouring known terrorists. Probably still are.

Course, according to Michael Moore, they then got a very lucrative oil pipeline running across the whole country - but I forget the details... (read the book years ago).

Iraq is even more scandalous - I can't even go into how wrong I thought the Iraq war was. But it doesn't stop me from recognising the importance and the enormity of 9/11.

Iraq should have never been invaded and it was clear that US and indeed UK governments over-reacted. Experts were telling them there were no wmds but they let their poor judgment run the course.

Maybe Michael Moore is where I saw it too (the pipeline)

it was subdued and sad after 9/11
wasn't like that when princess di died.no,not were i was

Absolutely agree goldfish. That said Michael Moore i find entertaining but he is not a good journalist in my opinion. Comedian, but not a journalist.

bemybebe - "takethisonehereforastart please define "it" from OP and we can argue..."

I'm not clear what "it" you are talking about, so I can't define it for you.

And I don't want to argue with you. There's been far too much of it for no good reason. I wanted you to explain something that seems to go against the grain of the rest of your arguments. And you still haven't.

What does the USA represent that makes you feel 9/11 is significant because of it?