By The Editor

Time, like a soothing balm, has dulled our senses and subsequent events have somewhat blurred the full horror of September 11 2001. But as we mark the first anniversary of what is likely to become one of the more cataclysmic events of this new century, it is important to remember that about 3 000 innocent people died in one of history's most heinous and calculated acts of terrorism.

Hundreds of them were ordinary, early-morning shuttle passengers on planes which became jet-fuelled kamikaze missiles directed at the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, killing thousands of others.

The consequences have been devastating, particularly the punishment of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan for its sponsorship and protection of the perpetrator, the al-Qaeda terrorist network. Also deeply affected were other countries in central Asia like Pakistan and Iran and the Arab states of the Middle East. The seismic effect of 9/11 was felt in the rest of the world as the dot.com boom economy of the US deflated rapidly in its wake.

In the aftermath, is the world a better place or more dangerous and volatile? The simple answer is that it's too early to tell.

If al-Qaeda's intention was to test the resolve of the US by attacking targets on its mainland, it has felt its wrath in no uncertain terms.

The most profound effect of the atrocities, however, has been and will be on the foreign policy of the world's only superpower. In his first nine months in the Oval Office, George W Bush gave every indication he was going to be an isolationist president. And while a "Yankee go home" sentiment still exists in many countries, the US administration was forced to engage the world after the attacks.

A justifiable criticism is its jumbled approach on issues like Iraq and the global environment, as was shown in Johannesburg last week. But Americans now know where Afghanistan is, have a better understanding of Islam and recognise the urgent need, for instance, to settle the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. If any good has come out of the evil perpetrated exactly a year ago today, this is it.

Published on the Web by IOL on 2002-09-10 21:43:42