Who benefited from 9/11?

[Stop_the_War]

Poll question: Who benefited from 9/11?

Think of how easy it was to get the Patriot Act passed after 9/11. Think about how many people became Republican fascists after 9/11. Think about how easy it was to invade two nations after 9/11. Think about how Bush's approval rating skyrocketed after 9/11.

Who benefited?

[NecessaryOnslaught]

1. Other

Military-Industrial complex

[Theres-a]

5. I'll second that

[havocmom]

9. Me too. Bush is not in power. He is the front man.

And he looks like a nervous front man of late.

[RobertSeattle]

2. My caption...

Mr President, something awful has happened in New York city, but Karl already has a way to capitalize on in politically.

[ewagner]

3. Osama certainly didn't

The attacks didn't defeat the United States, instead they brought the full wrath of the American Military against him AND hardened the attitudes of rank-and-file-Americans against his cause and marginalized his grievances.

[never_get_over_it]

6. I disagree

Osama and Al Qaeida won big time - this administration's response to 9/11 did more for recruiting new members than anything Osama could have ever done.

[ewagner]

8. True, but

I can't think that instigating a never-ending conflict is a victory

Yep he has more recruits....but the conflict will kill a whole generation......

[havocmom]

10. Let's keep response to 9/11 separate from the invasion of Iraq

The former probably didn't do nearly as much for Al Qaeida recruitment as the latter did. And those are two different things. We really need to keep hammering that Iraq does not = 9/11.

Our invasion of a country, our slaughter of tens of hundreds of thousands of innocents for no legitimate reason, THAT helped Islamic radicals make the point that the US government is an imperial power with no respect for other peoples.

9/11 was not an Iraqi operation. Say it loud and say it every friggin time you get a chance. The Iraqis were not a threat to the US. Saddam may have been a threat to the junta because of all their players' dealings with him, but Iraq and Saddam were no threat to the US or the world.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. I voted Bush for the short term

but I think the 'military industrial complex' noted above is correct for the long term.

[Stop_the_War]

7. kick

[Is It Fascism Yet]

11. kick. it's clear shrub gained a lot from 911, and failed to cooperate

with the congressional investigation of 911. I can think of no other reason except his personal guilt that could possibly make the pseudopresident not want to know what happened and why. Seems he must already know, or he would be more curious.

[solinvictus]

12. Bush, definitely...

His teetering presidency was given a jump-start by the terrorist attacks. His response? Well, he waited several weeks to attack Afghanistan and gave OBL a head start to move to the hills. Bush's entire TV strategy of "Smoke 'em out" was completely ineffective. Bush turned OBL into an Islamic folk hero.

[Auntie Bush]

14. Don't forget bush* was embroiled in the Enron scandal before 911

911 saved Bush's butt...big time!

[BlackVelvetElvis]

13. More than Bush, the neo-cons.

They were getting a bit disgusted with him prior to 9/11. Now they own him.