Have the terrorists won?
KHARKIV — On Sept. 11, 2001, when I taught my third class as a professor of East European history at Yale, I knew what the subject had to be: provocation. The Russian imperial secret services, and then the Soviet secret services, had perfected the art of convincing adversaries to do what they wanted them to do while making them think it was for their own reasons. When something terrible happens,…
On September 11, 2001, when the author, a professor of East European history, delivered their third lecture at Yale, they chose the subject of provocation. The Russian and Soviet secret services had mastered the skill of making adversaries act against their own interests, believing it was for their own reasons. When a terrible event occurs, the goal is not to cause suffering, but to put the victim in a mindset that leads to self-inflicted harm.
Throughout history, there have been numerous acts of terror. The real question, the author pondered, is what comes next. One cannot stop every terrible event from happening, but personal freedom begins with how one responds. Regrettably, Americans responded exactly as the terrorists intended, and possibly even surpassed their expectations, making the world a worse place for everyone.
The logical course of action following 9/11 should have been to liberate oneself from reliance on fossil fuels.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
- Have the terrorists won? koreatimes.co.kr
