Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials — September 11, 2019

USA World
Pakistanis raise their weapons in the border town of Bajour as they shout anti-US slogans before leaving for Afghanistan in October 2001. Thousands from this tribal area go to join the Taliban in its ‘holy war’ against the US. Photo: AFP /Tariq Mahmood

Pepe Escobar, Asia Times: We are all hostages of 9/11

After years of reporting on the Great War on Terror, many questions behind the US attacks remain unresolved

Afghanistan was bombed and invaded because of 9/11. I was there from the start, even before 9/11. On August 20, 2001, I interviewed commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, the “Lion of the Panjshir,” who told me about an “unholy alliance” of the Taliban, al-Qaeda and the ISI (Pakistani intel).

Back in Peshawar, I learned that something really big was coming: my article was published by Asia Times on August 30. Commander Massoud was killed on September 9: I received a terse email from a Panjshir source, only stating, “the commander has been shot.” Two days later, 9/11 happened.

Read more ….

Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials — September 11, 2019

Remembering Forty Heroes of 9/11 — Mitchell Zuckoff, Boston Globe

18 years later, America vows to ‘never forget’ 9/11 — Karen Matthews and Jennifer Peltz, AP

Friendly fire: In trade fights, Trump targets US allies, too — Paul Wiseman, AP

How Russia is trying to pacify the “cradle” of Syria’s revolution — Anton Mardasov, Riddle

Is Turkey’s Strongman Caught in a Web of His Own Making? — Paul A. Rahe, Law & Liberty

Welcome to the West Bank Wars — Matthew Petti, National Interest

We Can’t Afford to Forget Africa — John Fund, NRO

Robert Mugabe was once a hero of the left. What can we learn from his descent into tyranny? — Will Hutton, The Guardian

Will the CIA’s Former Top Spy Fall Prey to Putin’s Murderous Mole Hunt? — Amy Knight, Daily Beast

The Rich Are Already Fleeing in Expectation of Corbyn — Alex Brummer, Daily Mail

The rise and fall of former Venezuelan spymaster ‘El Pollo’ — Aritz Parra and Joshua Goodman, AP

Inside Bolton’s Exit: Mongolia, a Mustache, a Tweet — Jonathan Lemire, Zeke Miller & Deb Riechmann, RCD

Will John Bolton Go to War Against Donald Trump? — Curt Mills, National Interest

Bolton’s Departure Signals Trump’s Foreign-Policy Pivot — Thomas Wright, The Atlantic

Why Bolton was fired — Stephen Bryen, Asia times