************
September 11th was a day that will stay within our
minds for the rest of our lives. There was no bigger symbol of America than the
destroyed Towers. When they collapsed they caused an earthquake in the World.
The first words of Americans were rather simple
« why ? ». « Why do they hate
us ? » Then these words were taken up by everyone. They were
addressed by President Bush, and other leaders around the World. They appeared
in the media...
With constant repetition, these words have lost
their original meaning. The need to know has been transformed into reason for
retaliation. In fact the question « why do people hate us »
ask who did it, and do not ask why. But it has all the same risen suspicions
among some Americans who refused to go along with the official line, that is to
see America as an innocent victim of an unfriendly country.
In this dissertation entitled « September
11th , 2001 as a response to the USA' s External
Policy », I focus on the USA's so called assigned
divine mission to lead the World, and the ways they use to do it. But more than
a statement, this sentence examines, in the same way other deeper explanations.
This is not a report about 9-11th , because this criminal event
requires an examination of problems that existed before, that is to say problem
of relation between America and the rest of the World. That is why I turned my
attention to the background of the USA, because it revealed an important part
of their feature, and above all, we can't understand the present if we do not
know the past. This dissertation is not an hagiography of the USA's strength,
on the contrary, it analizes the consequences of the discrepancy between this
« hyperpower » and the poorest countries and the relation
it sustains with the rest of the world. The point is that some of the worst
effects of American power are the result of the best-intention actions. The
effects of USA's Policy, past and present on the wider world are the
anti-globalization movements, not only in poorest countries but also in Europe
as well as in the USA.
If the question of why people hate America is not new, it has
acquired a new dimension since the events of 9-11th . It shed lights
on « the burden of the past » (Part I) , particularly on
the relation that the Muslims, and Eastern Europe sustain with the USA.
« Why do people hate America ? » is a loaded question.
It even divides the country. G.W.Bush claims, this hatred is due to jealousy,
and other go further and point out the USA's External Policy. Despite the
different points of view, people after the attacks were rallying round the
flag. Above all these gatherings show that most Americans are simply not aware
of the impact of their culture and their Government Policy on the rest of the
world. But, more importantly, a vast majority do not believe that America has
done, or can do anything wrong. But the fact is that the United States of
America is a « hyperpower », a nation so powerful that it
affects the lives of people everywhere.
The Americans know they are not a monolithic society. As we will
see (Part II), the events of 9-11th were a major trauma for the
Americans. These events explained their will to retaliation. The population
backed their President, who was willing to have his revenge. But gradually, the
fuel to retaliation lessens. America and some countries reflect upon the only
« superpower » of the world. Its history , the consequences
of its lifestyle...But above all, most of the Americans as well as other
peoples in the world, especially the European countries such as France and
Germany want to make peace with war. Hatred, bombing... are no basis for
building a secure world. In (Part III), I provide a summary of the consequence
of 9-11th as well as well as a pattern for a possible change, as for
instance the coming into pictures of Europe as a new leader...
In this world of violence, only one thing seems
to be clear for everybody, except for G.W.Bush : all the countries have
the right to exist. There is work to be done within the USA's External Policy
in order to change things.
