The session has just started. You are invited to join us with your questions.
After the session, you could view the whole dialogue in the recent sessions.
Yours,
IslamOnline Live Dialogue Editing Desk
Name
AbdulHaqq
- United States
Profession
Question
Clarke said that President Bush ignored warnings about terrorist attacks before 9/11 and has done "a terrible job" battling terrorism. Do you think President Bush did have those warnings? How did those warnings come to him? If it was true that al Qaeda was behind the attacks, do you think they would send a warning to the US?
Answer
I don't believe Clarke when he says that Bush has done a terrible job battling terrorism and that he ignored warnings. As you suggest, there probably were no real warnings, but there may have been some raw data that suggested that something was going to happen.
Name
Amani
- United Kingdom
Profession
Question
Why did Condoleezza Rice refuse to give her testimony under oath before the independent 9/11 commission?
Answer
That has changed.The Associated Press is reporting this morning that the White House has given Rice permission to testify under oath before the investigations committee so long as they will agreeing in writing that this does not set a precedent.
Name
Denis
-
Profession
Question
Do you think the Bush administration is more to blame for not preventing the September 11 attacks or is the Clinton administration more to blame, or are both equally to blame?
Answer
It seems that most observers are agreeing that there was no real substantive difference between the Clinton and Bush approach to fighting terrorism, or for preventing the September 11th attacks. This question is interesting since it undoes Clarke's accusations against Bush, since the common thread between both administrations in respect to anti-terrorism is Clarke.
The two approaches may have differed in respect to one being aimed at containing Al-Qadea, and the aimed at destroying Al-Qadea. I do agree with some of Clarke's opinion in respect to the role that Wolofitz and others may have played in shifting post 9/11 attention from Al-Qadea to Iraq.
Name
rahmana
-
Profession
student
Question
Has the Bush administration done all it could to fight terrorism? Some observers and analysts say that America’s war on Iraq has provoked more violence and hatred against America?
Answer
It's true that the coalition invasion has stirred up more resentment and anger than previously existed, and this was a caution that many Middle East and Muslim analysts issued prior to the war. In that respect, we will have to wait and see if it has done anything to improve the lives of Iraqis and people in the region over the long haul. It sounds very harsh to suggest that sometimes things get messy before they get better. Most people now agree that the possibility of something better for Iraq and Muslim and Arab people in the region creates a hope and opportunity that could have never surfaced under Saddam Hussein. Exile might have accomplished the same opportunities for reforms, but it is not likely that we would have even been spared violence if Hussein had accepted the offer for exile, since his loyalist would have perhaps still sought to keep the situation on the ground one of conflict.
Name
Shamim
- India
Profession
Question
Do you think that 9/11 incident, a well-organised terror attack was allowed by US Government, even though they had been informed about the threat well in advance, in order to get them a reason to invade Afghanistan & Iraq for a strategical base for US?
Answer
No, I don't think was either the motive for the attacks, or that the attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan were for that purpose, even though it has be proven that plans existed prior to 9/11 to possibly attack one or the other, or both.
Name
Abdullahi Yusuf
- United States
Profession
computer engineer
Question
To what extent Clarke’s testimony can affect Bush’s campaign in the upcoming elections? Can you provide some details?
Answer
We have a short amount of time left, but let me say that today Bush's numbers are up in the polls which might mean that Clarke's revelations are having an opposite effect since it allows people to see that these decisions are not being made by Bush, as a King would rule a monarchy. An entire process that includes many people and opinions is at play. The conclusion that there are no big differences between Bush and Clinton on terrorism, which is the general opinion means that Clarke's remarks had little or no real effect on Bush's chances of re-election.
Name
Rami
- Canada
Profession
Question
A Newsweek poll found U.S. President George W. Bush’s voter approval have fallen since former White House counterterrorism chief Richard Clarke questioned the president’s commitment to fighting terror before the Sept. 11 attacks. We also found that John Kerry said in an interview with CBS MarketWatch that his “challenge to the Bush administration would be, if he's not believable and they have reason to show it, then prosecute him for perjury, because he is under oath.” Do these reports show how Bush’s incredibility is uncovered and how it is going to affect his chance to be re-elected?
Answer
Bush's numbers are up in the polls today, which means that the longer people are thinking about what Clarke said, the less they are believing it, or they are seeing so little difference between Clinton and Bush that they are reluctant to blame Bush for what seems Clark and other's work.
Name
Haris Mohammed
- United Arab Emirates
Profession
Question
Would the feasibility on reports that WTC collapsed due to collission of fuel filled aeroplanes on WTC would come before this enquiry commission? Do you think collision of aeroplanes on WTC alone caused its collapse as lot of suspecious things behind the incident.
Answer
I agree with you that there is increased interest in the logistics of that attack, whereas before we were mostly concerned with who carried out the attacks. According to the Washington Post, Paul Wolfowitz believed that the attacks were too sophisticated to be carried out by Al-Qadea.
Name
Mubarak Salah
- United Kingdom
Profession
Student
Question
Can the September 11th attacks be attributed to a man who has not been convicted of the crime,he has supposed to have committed.The notion of "guilty until proven has totally been rejected!
Answer
I agree that the greatest price the US is paying for 9/11 is the erosion of the very legal and moral principals that we are supposedly fighting to protect and to spread via Iraq. It would be preferable in my view that even in countries like Saudi Arabia more of these suspected terrorists could be captured and tried than automatically killed. This method raises too many questions about who is actually being killed and why, and why we can't have open trials for suspected terrorists. It seems it would be in the public interests for us to return to innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and also reasonable punishments that are suited to the actual crimes committed.
Name
Anwar
- United Kingdom
Profession
Engineer
Question
As-Salaamu `Alaykum, what is the point of talking about 9/11 when its history is gone and US and her allies met some of their hidden objectives like stationing troops in Afghanistan? No one will take the US and her allies to court for what they do.
Answer
Wa`alykum As-Salamu warahmatullah.
That is perhaps true. But information can educate people and perhaps through our continued vigilance we can prevent such things from happening again. It is not enough in my view to simply walk away from the things we have learned and experienced since 9/11. We must use it for something positive, and to change things as much as we can.
Name
Fares Farahat
- United States
Profession
therapist
Question
Will Bush testify before the 9/11 independent commission? If yes, what are the things he is supposed to testify for?
Answer
I have not heard that he will testify. There will be many things to consider before he does. I would imagine that if the President is questioned, it will be to either corroborate testimony of others or to find out what he knew prior to the attacks.
Name
Qais
- Tunisia
Profession
Question
Does Clarke’s testimony and others will remain the talk that brings up other hidden facts or it was practically motivated as the White House described it? If it was politically motivated, what were the motives?
Answer
Whatever the motives, it has caused a tremendous amount of information to be freed for public consumption. There are many possible motives that include book sells. No one knows the real motive except Clarke. It will be a source of conversation perhaps for a very long time since Clarke also makes accusations against Paul Wolfowitz and Richard Perle and others that are interesting in respect to the invasion of Iraq, and Iraq being seen as a legitimate war on terrorism target, and also claims that there where weapons of mass destruction.
Name
Randa Gazi
-
Profession
Question
What else did the latest investigation bring?
Answer
For now there is not much more than these conclusions:
1. Bush is not dictating US foreign policy
2. Many of the people who are crafting the policies are career people, meaning that they do not change with the administrations as is the case with Richard Clarke
3. The war on terrorism strategy did not differ much between Bush and Clinton because they same people essentially worked for both men, and also other Presidents. The general assumption of the investigations committee at this juncture is that the failure to prevent 9/11 was an intelligence failure. The question is whose intelligence failed?
Name
Yahya
- United States
Profession
Question
Can you please shed some light on the Masonic influence in the government and the theory that this adminstration encourages this type of act to occur?
Answer
No, I can't even though there are many rumors about the extent to which secretive groups are impacting US policies.
Name
Addy
-
Profession
Question
It seems that Bush opponents now focus on internal issues that he proved failure to improve. Can you mention some of these issues and how they can affect Bush re-election?
Answer
If by internal you mean domestic issues; there are many clear distinctions between the parties in that area which is why many suspect that this is where the election will be won or loss. The Republicans are running strong on their social agenda that bans certain types of abortion, and is against same sex marriages, while the Democrats seem to be successful at attempts to appear more concerned about jobs and health care which are really sore issues with many voters.
Name
Nizar
- United States
Profession
Question
What would the implications be if it is found that the Bush administration was lackadaisical in responding to threats? What would result other than marking it down in the history books? Any consequences?
Answer
Not really since it is a judgment call. Clarke did not say that Bush had been negligent, or that his negligence caused us to be attacked, or that Bush has stopped the attacks, so as you say, it is mostly good for the history books, but also because we learn from mistakes.
Name
lukman
- Nigeria
Profession
student
Question
Do you think the so-called war on terrorism will achieve American goals?
Answer
I think that the intensity of the war on terrorism will abate at some point, yet there will always be a campaign to identify potential threats, and to eliminate proven threats. That might be the intent of the preemptive strike policy that Bush has endorsed. Of course there is also the possibility that, as situations change the preemptive strike policy might be seen as too aggressive for a world that has demonstrated a change in political climates and attitudes towards the US.
Name
Rasha Hamdan
-
Profession
student
Question
Commenting on Condoleezza Rice’s refusal to testify, John Kerry rushed to say, ‘If Condoleezza Rice can find time to do `60 Minutes' on television before the American people, she ought to find 60 minutes to speak to the commission under oath. We're talking about the security of our country." Does Kerry also fight Bush to win the 2004 elections? Do you think the issue of national security will be the main criteria the people will take into consideration when voting for any candidate?
Answer
The Associated Press is reporting today that Rice will testify if the committee will give a written promise that her testifying will not establish a precedent. Of course Kerry is fighting to win the elections, but like most Americans, what is most important is that anything that is threatening our country, including politically motivated dishonesty is something that is undesirable. In my opinion the American people will vote their homes, their health, and their safety, even if not in that order.
Name
Tahoy
-
Profession
Question
How do the American people now look at Bush? Do they still support him?
Answer
I think to a great extent people in the US respect Bush immensely since he saw us through one of the most difficult moments in recent US history. For most living in the US today, Pearl Harbor and World War II were our parent's problems and we are not accustomed to popular wars after Vietnam. So we are a people who dislike war and distrust presidents that go to war easily, or for the wrong reasons. 9/11 gave Bush the cause for war, and many believe that considering his previous political posture which was very affable towards the Middle East and even Muslim concerns, that his change after 9/11 was justified.
Name
Heidi
- Canada
Profession
Question
Dr. Abd el Fattah, the repercussions of 9/11 were astounding. As a Muslima living in the west, it seems to me that everything changed after 9/11. The so called "axis of evil", war declared on two Muslim countries and more on the horizon... over the top security measures to the point where the "free" west is becoming more like a police state where Muslims fear appearing in their communities lest they be considered terrorists, economic effects and the list goes on. It doesn’t seem that these effects seem to be losing any momentum, it actually seems that the motion is snowballing as it goes.
As a visionary in this field- where do you see this going? What’s next? Iran? Others on the “axis of evil"? An all-out war of civilizations? Or is it your estimate that things will calm down eventually and that the movement will run out of steam and that solutions will be found? Your expert thoughts would be appreciated.
Answer
Heidi,
In my opinion, things are already beginning to change for the better. The transparency created by Clarke and others on US policy and how policy is actually being made will lead to changes since we now know who and how such policies come into being. The economy is improving, even though we need to create some jobs in the US and get our health care and school problems taken care of. As the US switches its focus to its domestic woes, and due to the fact that the cover has been pulled off of the process to some extent, people will be less likely to take controversial actions since it will be easier to identify responsible parties.
In my view solutions are being developed, I am sure of that, and things will change. The Muslim world will be the center of these changes in my view, and we will usher in the next period of liberation movements, and freedom, and the energy that has been trapped in the Muslim world thus far by repressive government policies and fiscal irresponsibility will be steered towards ideas that will empower the Muslim people intellectually and economically and also spiritually. God has challenged and perhaps even punished His Ummah in some respect, but I am convinced that He has also forgiven us. I pray that we will make the necessary repentance, and take serious steps to remain true to our Covenant with God to obey the law, take the moderate or middle path in all things, and be motived by love always.
Name
sadi
-
Profession
Question
Please tell me if there are any proofs found that those attacks were done by Muslims? And how are those attacked linked to Afghanistan?
Answer
Your questions are important in my view since they hit the very essence of the statement of values that seems to be the point where civilizations should supposedly clash according to the clash of civilizations theory. Our values East and West should, in my view, suggest to us that there should have been more tangible and convincing proof of who exactly carried the 9/11 attacks since we are left, particularly after Clark's book, looking as those we were opportunistically searching for a target upon which to exact revenge. We should have been more interested in exactly who did this, and perhaps had more proof before we acted against anyone. There is also the possibility that proof exists that has not been made public for obvious reasons.
Unfortunately, hind sight is 20/20. In the future I am hoping that we will be more interested in real justice and also due process when it comes to issues related to military attacks and the like, and that at some point we will be privy to any classified information that might have caused the targets to be selected that were ultimately chosen to be attacked.
Name
Twalib
- Kenya
Profession
Question
As-Salamu `Alaikum, don't you think that America and their allies are full of lies and propaganda against the Muslim Ummah'? And why do some of the Islamic countries obey what the American’s want? Can’t we Muslims do something to help this countries rather than letting the kufar (non-Muslims) help them?
Answer
That is a question for the leaders and people of those countries. I understand what I think is your view and agree that every country is capable of advancing propaganda. The problem is not US propaganda in my view, but rather the reluctance of Muslims in the Muslim world to take their destinies into the own hands and bring political processes into being that serve their interests, and develop economies that can help them arrive at prosperity. Laying blame is part of our problem, we need solutions.
Name
Comment
-
Profession
Question
You said that a great extent of people in the US are still respecting Bush, do these people include those who lost their children in the illegitimate war on Afghanistan and Iraq? Can the Americans be as fool as to believe that Bush’s claims to fight Iraq were justified while the whole world was against it? Don't tell us that some stupid countried have gone to war, because we judge by the majority and not by the foolish minority...
Answer
Good, or bad that is pretty much how it works. Perhaps if there had been no 9/11 people could have seen the Iraq war as you obviously see it, or maybe there would not have been an Iraq war. Clinton tried very hard to go to all out war with Iraq before 9/11, and it was the American people who stopped him. The people didn't attempt to stop Bush, and neither did the UN who passed 1441 with a unanimous vote. 9/11 was a reality, and often when a nation is attacked it strikes back, sometimes blindly, and sometimes too quickly. History will judge us. I pray that whatever the US has done wrong, we will come to understand it as a nation and see our error, and solve our problems in that respect, and that God will forgive us. The sacrifice that families in the US are making now are painful for all of us, but as a nation that was founded on such sacrifice, the pain is not foreign to us. The pain and suffering in the Muslim world will soon end, and that is going to change things here as well. I am looking forward to better relations between the people of the US and the Muslim world.
Name
Rafael
- Chile
Profession
Student
Question
As-Salaamu `Alaykum. How deeply will the following investigation into the (American) 9/11 have an effect in the perception of Westerners and Muslim/Arabs towards each other in the years to come? Will it be more dramatic than the changing nature of international law and justification that is coming with each new battle of the "War on Terrorism"?
PS: To the question of Masonic influence, I can assure you that the Masons have no such hold in American politics, nor are they anti-Islamic, but are instead advocates of free speech, reason, peace, and tolerance, principles that should be very compatible with Islam.
Answer
The effects of the investigation should help Muslims and Arabs and the US reconcile, since things are pretty clear now, and we know that it's not about who we vote for, or what our President, Republican or Democrat personally feels. That is a big issue, since it seems that as Muslims we are accustomed to systems where one man pretty much runs the show, and we either too attracted, or too repulsed by personalities when it comes politics and international cooperation. The US is different, and those who master the law control the law, how it is interpreted and applied. Clarke and the 9/11 investigation showed us who those people might be. Now, we can get over the personality clashes and name calling, and get on with learning and organizing more sophisticated campaigns to educate people across borders about injustices, erosion of laws and values etc. America will be on the right side of those conversations when they are initiated, and God Willing, 9/11 and the war on terrorism will have served us all well, and not have destroyed us.
Thank you for your info on the Masons.
Editor:
I rather tend to disagree with the information you gave about the Masons. Masonic organizations neither support free speech nor do they abide by the Islamic teachings. This is an underground organization that doesn't believe in being affiliated to a religion. Those who wrote about them revealed the many conspiracies plotted by these free masons. To know more about the Islamic stance on Masonry, please click here:
As-Salamu`alaykum. I am a Muslim woman; I live in Italy with my brothers. I know an Italian Muslim and we want to marry. Unfortunately, he was married and has divorced, and this procedure takes three years in Italy. I want to know if we can marry in presence of my brothers and others Muslims from Italy without waiting the end of the procedure. Wajazakum Allahu Khairan.
Answer
Sister, I am not a Mufti, and I cannot give fatwas. I suggest that you contact the imam or respected religious authority in your community, and seek and follow their guidance. I don't know what they will say, perhaps something you won’t agree with, but my advice is that even when we don't agree with the religious scholars, if we at least take their advice seriously, God helps us. Also pray and ask God to guide you and to make it your aim to please God, so that when you get an answer you do not like, you submit, not to those giving the answer, but to the guidance of God that should come through them. Make sure that the people you consult are sincere, pious and well respected by many people, and accountable to you and your community for their decisions, and that they are able to share with you the information upon which they derive or base their decision, keeping in mind that opinion is not the same as a fatwa. Guard your heart, and remember the rules of modesty in Islam and be patient. I wish you the best.
Editor:
Also you may contact Ask the Scholar service in islamonline and insha'Allah you have lots of scholars to help you our with your situation.
Name
Editor
-
Profession
Answer
Finally, we would like to thank Dr. Anisa Abd el Fattah for speaking to Islamonline viewers today, and we also thank all those who participated in this dialogue. We apologize for not being able to accommodate all the questions within the time allocated to this session. We request our readers to join us in the upcoming sessions.
