254/365

Today is the 6th anniversary of the fall of the twin towers. The "attack on America" included a plane crashing into the side of the Pentagon, and another crashing into a field in Pennsylvania (presumably en route to Washington, DC).

Ironically, it is also the anniversary of the day I interviewed for my current position. The first plane hit shortly after our interview began. The second one hit shortly after that. Though this colored the interview, I don't think it affected the decision to hire me.

The Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield is also this week, as it was that year. Many performers could not make it that year, or were late, because all flights were grounded. One performer spent his time entertaining people in a soccer stadium in Great Britain.

It was a fugue week. It was hard to be present to much more than my shock, and the shock of others.

Most of us now understand that Iraq had nothing to do with that day. While I didn't agree with the decision to attack Afghanistan, I understood the revengeful desire behind it. Iraq, on the other hand, was entirely the wrong war at the wrong time for the wrong reason. Diversion of troops to Iraq lessened the effectiveness of US troops in Afghanistan.

While most of us have forgotten Afghanistan, it must be noted that it is almost as much a fiasco as Iraq. Tribal leaders have regained power. The Taliban is renewing its influence. Opium production has returned to pre-Taliban levels.

The moral I draw on this anniversary is that times of crisis, such as 9/11/01, are times when the public must scrutinize claims and decisions with extra caution. It is too easy to move forward, or to be manipulated, based on the desire for revenge.