The New Pearl Harbor 1

As I read through the work of Professor David Griffin, I find page after page of questions and information that have still not been publicly addressed regarding the attacks of 9-11.

In his work Professor Griffin cites two conservative sources that put forth the concept of a catastrophic "New Pearl Harbor" as a starting point for shifting the opinion of the American people in a desired direction. What is the desired direction? It is a favorable opinion for a long protatracted war conducted to gain strategic control over energy resources in Central Asia and the Middle East. Who is the enemy? It is fundamentalist Islamic terrorism. What is the linking device between the direction and the enemy? It is the "War on Terror."

The first source is the Zbigniew Brzezinski book 'The Grand Chessboard: American Primacy and Its Geostrategic Imperatives', 1997.

The second comes from the Neo Conservative "Project for a New American Century" and their document "Rebuilding America's Defenses."

Keep in mind that both sources for this idea were written prior to 9-11 and that both say that the "New Pearl Harbor" occurs only for the purpose of shifting public opinion. It is an opinion shifting "strategy."

Both advance the idea that a major American disaster similar to Pearl Harbor, a direct strike on American ground by an enemy, would catapult American opinion in favor of war. The repercussions of Pearl Harbor galvanized America in favor of War with Japan. The attacks of 9-11 became this "New Pearl Harbor" that focussed American attention onto a new concept, "The War on Terror."

One very important aspect of this defining moment is to look at the shift from pre 9-11 notions to post 9-11 notions. It is the shift itself that is a critical element here.

A large and far reaching shift in thought and opinion is referred to as a paradigm shift.
See: Wikipedia and Thomas Kuhn

The term originally was applied to shifts in understandings of science, but is now freely applied to other areas such as changes in personal beliefs or ways of thinking.

Recall that point in time when the old paradigm collapses right when the World Trade Towers implode. There is the sense of despair, grief, fear, depression, confusion, a hope for an end to the perceived violence, doom, lots of dark feelings and thoughts. Also there is anger and rage, intolerance and a strong desire for revenge, and a need for justice and satisfying compensation. We are simultaneously diminished and open, diminished from the sense of extreme loss, and open to the possibility for improvement and answers.

As we go through this tunnel of pressure filled emotion and thought, we want to trust our leaders and the perceived wisdom of moral structures. We trust that they will deliberately choose the best course of action because this is a vulnerable time as we are truly open and seeking a confident trust. If we are lead in the right path, we're grateful. If its the wrong way or a lie, we come to recognize this as a great trust breaker, a faith shattering event.

I will continue this article in the future, but first I want you to contemplate one thing. Ten of the most influential people who helped write and sign onto the document "Rebuilding America's Defenses", came into power during the Presidency of George W. Bush. Out of that ten, the two who are most well known are Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. The people, who put forth the need for an American military dominance in Central Asia and the Middle East and put forth the idea of a "New Pearl Harbor" to galvanize American opinion for this war, on their watch presided over the events of 9-11 and presided over the War in Afganistan and Iraq. And they did so within just one year of putting out thier policy on this.