Lawrence Wright's "The Looming Tower"

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Recommended: The events of September 11, 2001

Following the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Unites States found itself in a search for answers and revenge against those that had brought about this atrocity. The attack that has been compared to that of Pearl-Harbor elevated the tracking and collecting of terrorism from barely a priority, to the forefront of the American radar. I honestly believe that terrorism as the #1 priority is destined to remain at the top for the foreseeable future. The elemental thoughts on almost all American minds following the attacks were who had the strength and capability to could carry out such an attack on a country with the world’s strongest military and what led to their focus to attack the Untied States: In short, who attacked us, and why do they hate us? The Untied States formed a bi-partisan 9/11 Commission was formed to trace the roots of Al-Qa’ida, investigate the history of the 19 hijackers, examine missed opportunities of law enforcement officials to avert the disaster, and make recommendations to clean up the faulty incoherent intelligence-gathering operation. The 500+ page 9/11 Commission Report contained thirteen chapters of historical narratives, analysis and recommendations. All ten members of the bi-partisan commission signed off on the report, which has arguably become a national historical document. Just as the 9/11 Commission was created to find answers and recommend necessary follow steps to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself, Lawrence Wright sought answers as to why 3000 American lives were lost in the attacks on September 11th. An experienced traveler to the region, Lawrence Wright endeavored to do his own investigative study into the history, ideology and circumstances behind this large-... ... middle of paper ... ...I had misunderstood, or rather ignored, the Muslim Brotherhood as it materialized in Egypt and later took root and inspired others elsewhere. If Wright analysis is correct, and I suspect he is in this abundantly researched and well-written book, it was born as an opposition to colonialism and its nationalist / socialist / modernist / capitalist alternatives. It appeared that to Sayyid Qutb and other shaping figures in the Brotherhood, Islam was an all-encompassing system to remake the post-colonial world. Qutb, who actually spent time in the United States studying, returned in the late 40’s outraged and radicalized. Qutb soaked up our supposed corruption and regarded the U.S. as propping up regimes that the majority in the Middle East didn’t like, as well as being a good friend of Israel and opposed to Islam, issues that still are a common complaint heard today.

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