The Message of United 93

It’s a pity that more people in Britain won’t go to see United 93, a pitiless reconstruction of the fate of 40 passengers at the hands of four Arab Islamic terrorists aiming their flying bomb at my nation’s Capitol. Not because the movie would make them angry, which it probably, but not certainly, would. (I say “not certainly” because I have been at chattering class dinner parties at which otherwise intelligent people blamed September 11 on “America’s beastly treatment of the Arabs”, or on Israel.)

The reason I wish more people in Britain would see this film is because it would (no, might) make them agree with Tony Blair and George W. Bush that the West is engaged in an existential battle to preserve its values of freedom and respect for human life from a wide-ranging, fanatically religious, Muslim enemy that believes it is serving God by cutting the throats of innocent people, beheading them, and crashing planes into office blocks in which ordinary citizens are trying to make decent livings for their families.

One need not surrender irritation with the flawed intelligence that prompted the invasion of Iraq and the unseating of its genocidal regime. Nor one need to abandon criticism of the manner in which the post-war pacification and reconstruction has been handled. But to watch this film is to recognise that sooner or later this enemy, and an Iraq prepared to provide a haven for terrorists, as new evidence establishes it did, had to be confronted and defeated.

It is also to realise that much of the criticism of the policies adopted by both the Prime Minister and the President to confront the danger to their countries is unwarranted. Yes, the police acted on faulty but credible intelligence and raided the flat of two brothers who, it seems, are not guilty of the horrendous crime of which they were suspected. The alternative was to hope that the intelligence was wrong, and that the pair were not really preparing to gas thousands of innocent Londoners, just as the hijackers calmly killed thousands in the World Trade Centre and on United 93. Watch United 93 and ask which error you would rather have the police make. Yes, not all Muslims are terrorists, but so far all terrorists are Muslims.

Ask yourself, too, whether it is unreasonable for the US to insist on detailed information on passengers travelling to America from Europe, and for visas. The authorities estimate that there are over one thousand potential terrorists loose in Britain, many carrying British passports. The number roaming France and willing to take time off from burning cars is probably greater. Given the events of September 11, and the portion of the overall horror depicted in United 93, is it reasonable to criticise the American authorities for wanting as much information as they can get on just who is seated in the airplanes flying into New York, Washington, and other cities that are targets of an enemy sworn to destroy America?

And given the fact that September 11 was preceded by attacks on America in Africa and the Middle East, well before a British-American-led coalition removed Saddam from power, and followed by attacks on Madrid, London and Bali, can anyone emerge for a viewing of United 93, and its reminder of the horror of September 11, with no sense of the ruthlessness of the enemy that is confronting the West?

The Blair and Bush haters in your country and mine have many reasons for wishing to see them gone from power. In Britain incompetent administration of many domestic programmes and rising taxes, among other things, provide grounds for reasonable men and women to consider voting for the opposition. In America, incompetent administration of the post-war situation in Iraq, and worries about the direction of economic policy at home provide legitimate grounds for debate about the qulaity of the Bush administration. But in neither country should reasonable men doubt that your Prime Minister and my President are on the right side of history when it comes to recognising and confronting the threat to the West, and to modernity, from Islamic fanatics. This is a war, fought like no other, but a war nevertheless. To pretend otherwise might buy you admission to the high tables of the universities and swank tables of the chattering classes, but the ultimate price would be high indeed.

Comments

[Mark Hewitt]

When Osama Bin Laden declared war on the West in the mid 90's he declared that Westeners were weak.

While his fanatics are prepared to hijack planes and fly them into buildings, we Westeners looked around for any excuse not to dispose of one of the most evil dictators in history.

That day in early 2003 when a million people went on the anti-war march in London should go down as a turning point in Western history. It confirmed Osama Bin Laden's case that a lot of the people in the West are cowards!!!

Those same people's behaviour since 7/7 confirms it. The London bombings were because of Iraq they say. RUBBISH!!!

If it was not Iraq, then they would have found another excuse to justify the London bombings. What excuse would have been found if those terrorists just caught in Canada had been able to carry out their attack!!!!

If the people of the West do not wake up soon then by the end of the century, Europe will become part of an Islamic Caliphate.

[Michael Cooke]

It's a pity that the USA took a less robust view of terrorism when harbouring IRA terrorists and supplying the IRA with guns and money

[Mairi Mackay]

We may be fighting a war against militant islamic fanaticists but any argument which does not acknowledge some of the possible causes of this war as well as its effects is one sided and ultimately fails to convince me. You talk about the "ruthlessness of the enemy that is confronting the West" but with no discussion about why the West is in this situation. Poverty breeds extremism. The west has been carrying a pretty ruthless imperial campaign in many parts of the world. Big business has also been farming underdeveloped nations for profit without giving much back for many years. I agree that it is naive and small-minded to polarise arguments with terrorists portrayed as radicalised victims, their actions the end result of decades of western oppression...BUT until there is more equality in the world there will always be a ready and willing supply of brutalised angry young men with no future ready to sacrifice their lives for a cause they perceive to be greater than them. As you write "values of freedom and respect for human life" should be the preserve of ALL humans on the planet not just those in the WEST.

[Jeff Marks]

Finally some brave words and some clear truth in the press. Oh, hold on, not really the press - just adjacent to it. So, that's OK then.

Why this country and the rest of Europe seem to be so mired in the need not to upset any muslim faction bewilders me.

Maybe it is fear, maybe a naiive liberal belief that if you are good and kind you will get goodness and kindness in return. Gimme a break people.

Journalists in the UK often come up with the classic phrase..."The majority of Muslims want peace/enjoy living here/condemn these bombings" etc. Really? Have you interviewed them all then? How do our fearless jounalists know of this majority desire? Wishful thinking perhaps?

These fabricated sweeping generalisations do not serve the story or the public well.

But even if true, we simply never hear from the Muslim groups who do quite enjoy being part of Western Society. If they do - well, they keep their heads down. Covered, hidden and down.

The BBC does its level best to promote all things Arabic by conjuring up stories about Iranian women trying to play or even watch football, Live webcasts from Mosques explaining why Muslims need to be better understood, stories about how hard it is for Palestinians to get around (again). But ne-er a word as to the truthful threats that face us.

And it's so inground into our culture.

Even Cherie Blair stood up for Islamic suicide bombers. During a press conference with Queen Rania of Jordan here in the UK she claimed that she "understand" what drives suicide bombers. She used the term 'desperation'. Yes, they must be desperate. I mean why else blow off your own head in order to kill others.

Hmmm, where was her 'desperate' conclusion when those middle class, well off, fanatical Muslims did the same on the London Underground?

Ken Livingstone openly invites terrorist linked groups for smiling handshaking photo ops whilst openly vilifying Jews as Nazis and accusing Israel of being a war criminal country.

Sigh - thank God for America I say.

[Leyla Kent]

"Yes, not all Muslims are terrorists, but so far all terrorists are Muslims."

I fail to understand how the IRA, ETA and the National Liberation Front of Tripura managed to become Muslim terrorist groups.