Random Thoughts

Last night, I got to watch "Behind 911", a documentary in the National Geographic Channel. It was about the planning of the bombing of the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon (I forgot the other targets). To my amazement, that bombing was around 10-years in the making, until it finally became a reality. It was really scary, knowing that during those times, somthing could have been done to stop it. But unfortunately, well...you know the story.

The documentary was stating that it all began from a phone call between two friends planning on how to blow up the World Trade Center because they want to hurt a lot of Jews and Christians. And from there, it became a full scale attack against the US. The documentary took us to different locations, mostly in Africa, Germany, Pakistan and the US. To my shock, our country had also housed these terrorist...and Manila was a part of a sort of testing ground while they kept on planning on how to destroy the World Trade Center. They caught one of them, but the mastermind fled as soon as he saw that his friend was caught. Here in our country, the laptop with all the detailed plans on how to destroy the towers were documented. When they submitted it to the FBI, they didn't do anything about it.

It was also documented that the first attempt tore a hole around 7-storeys but still the towers stood firm. That that bombing and the 9-11 one was connected. The first bombing was a test, and with the knowledge that the bomb that he created wasn't strong enough, he kept on planning...and looked for financial support.

As I was watching, I realized that during the time of the planning, to that instanced when it finally became a reality, there have been multiple warnings, there have been intercepted communications from the Al-Quaida. Even B in Laden sent a broadcasted message that declared war on against the US. But for some reason, no one really paid any attention to it. During that time, they thought that Bin Laden wasn't a threat.

A reporter from ABC News I think..the one who was allowed to interview Bin Laden said to himself that time that he was hearing Bin Laden's announcement of waging war against the US, "oh yeah? You and what army?" That time, even he wasn't impressed. It turned out that he has men in Asia, Europe, Africa and the US,( and if I remember correctly, it still growing), all connected to each other, thinking of ways to defeat the US.

No one really listened. No one paid attention. They have been getting different intercepted communication saying that something big and bad is coming and is being leaked out to almost everyone...heck even a 10-year old kid knew that the World Trade Center will be bombed a few days before the attack was launched yet no one was listening...they were hearing things already but they never really listened.

Sometimes, I just wish taht I can go back and maybe things would have been different. People think that because you're smaller than them, they think that you can't hurt them. That they can't be touched because they think their more powerful than you due to connection or position. People think that because your in the minority, you can't do anything at all. They tend to forget that you are a minority in that particular location but you have other people like you...in the minority in other parts of the world that if you band together, you will be able to out number them.

Bin Laden was really smart...I can give him that much credit. By combining all the minority from all the different parts of the globe he had created an army and at his beck and call they will do anything he tells them to...even die for that cause because in the end, they will be rewarded by God. With all the resources that he has, the influence he got, he's almost untouchable. This was proven when there were plans of bringing him down dead or alive...but unlike Saddam, Bin Laden is still among us. Thinking of what he can still do to hurt more innocent people. The scary part is that he doesn't care whether you are a civilian or in the military...just as long as you do not follow Allah, you will die.

Before, they thought that Bin Laden wasn't a threat. They thought that they could handle a spend-thrift Saudi who was arming people with all the resources to detonate two huge towers. They thought they were strong enough to handle that small a terrorist group...until it was too late.

The documentary said that if the FBI, or CIA were just doing their jobs, then none of this would have happened. The "small" threat that was Bin Laden is not the biggest threat...a war against terrorism. Just because we didn't stop him when we had a chance.

On the flip side, I also couldn't blame Bin Laden for how he thinks. Because this is what his faith is making him do. This is how he sees and read his religion.

This is actually similar to the religious war of the Irish, or the debate of the different Christian sects as to who is more closer to God...though we only have one God that everyone worships. Radical movement? Well isn't that what the Opus Dei is all about? Doesn't this sect in the Catholic faith, we also find a little too extreme? How is this different from the Muslim Religion? Just because we don't kill people for our faith it doesn't mean that we're much better than they are. The Irish, it's a war against Catholics and Protestants...both Christians but still they don't see eye to eye...do you know the song "Sunday Bloody Sunday"? U2 composed that song to actually describe what's been happening to their country. It's really sad...a country divided because of religion.

We might try to deny it, but our religion plays a big part on who we are. And Bin Laden, being a religious Muslim that he is followed this path. It might be extreme...but that's how he follows Allah. In our eyes, it's wrong but who's to say? Wasn't Hitler Catholic too? That's why he committed genocide against the Jews...so that he can cleanse the world?...okay...Hitler was a bad example but I do hope you got what I mean...Just because we have a different belief it doesn't make us right. We follow our religion, Bin Laden follows his. And while even the Muslim community thinks it's become too much (like the Taliban), it like us Catholics with Opus Dei...we respect it.

There are so many reasons and reasoning forming in my head right now. But one thing is clear. Respecting each others belief is really important because if we don't, it's going to be an undending cycle of death and misery. If Bin Laden just respected the other beliefs maybe he wouldn't think of destroying the other religions.

Let 9-11 and 7-7 (London attack) be a lesson to us all. Be open to ther people's beliefs. You don't need to like it, but try to just understand and respect their faith.