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Summary Response The article Among the Lost: Illusions of Immortality by James Atlas, was published in New York Times newspaper on October 7, 2001, while there was still much confusion about what forces mightve stood behind those horrible acts of terrorism, that took place in United States on September 9, 2001. At that time, emotions played big part in how American public reacted to these events. Jams Atlas understanding of what happened on that day, expressed in his article, is not the exception. He states that there is no logical explanation for why these acts or terror had taken place, but irrational hatred alone. Referring to the governments of Middle Eastern countries he concludes: This is a war against America, her core values, and the prosperity that has followed from our pursuit of those values. According to Atlas, evil Islamic fundamentalists cannot physically stand the fact, that American women walk around with their faces uncovered - it causes them to hate America so much, that theyre willing to sacrifice their own lives and lives of many innocent Americans, in order to spread terror.
Is it really so? In my opinion, such approach is childish, to say the least. Hatred does not just appear out of blue it caused by frustration. If there is consequence, there is also has to be a reason one doesnt have to be a scientist to understand that.
The real reason for attacks on America is nothing but a result of its present foreign policies, which main task appears to be nothing but gaining as many enemies as possible, throughout the world. Even such countries as Great Britain and Germany were sharply opposed to American bombing of Yugoslavia that took place in 1998. American unquestionable support of Israel, does not find much understanding either. What have Americans gained of it? James Atlas tries to convince us that America automatically has the right to be a supreme arbiter when it comes to international relations. The truth is many people in the world and now, more and more Americans dont quite share this opinion.
The recent events during Republican Convention in New York had clearly shown that. But there is one thing, that Atlas is right about it is the fact that attacks of 9 / 11 will make Americans a different nation. The main point of his article is the fact the America has lost its sense of internal security from now on, ordinary citizens cannot consider themselves safe, being separated from the rest of the world by ocean. Whatever our attitude towards the actions of our government might be, we still need to fight back, once being attacked. On September 11, as innumerable commentators have noted, the death toll in the World Trade Center bombing was greater than at the Battle of Antietam; it exceeded, by several thousand, the casualties inflicted on Pearl Harbor. stresses Atlas.
He is right, when saying were at war and need to behave likewise, but where is the enemy that were to fight? How to distinguish civilian from terrorist in Middle East, whos very often is being civilian by day and terrorist by night? James Atlas article does mention problems that we face, while trying to fight international terrorism, but this if far as he goes. Its certainly not an article with suggested practical approaches of how to deal with a problem. It is simply a reflection of white conservative, who is being shocked over the fact of realizing itself very vulnerable. Still, Atlas attitude is being more rational, comparing to many of those, who share his highly emotional and somewhat hysterical attitude, like professor John Lewis, who in favor of: all-out immediate attack, nuclear if necessary, on targets chosen by the US.
Nevertheless, in my opinion, it stands as a fine example of conservative outlook on the problem weak, whiny and overly sensitive, while trying to appear tough when it comes to suggesting how to handle the problem of terrorism. If Great Britain, which is also in possession of nuclear weapons, were to use it to fight terrorism, its primary target would probably become Boston, as 70 % of IRA financing comes from that city In my opinion, we as a nation need to be more rational if were up to the task of fighting an international terrorism. There are no suggestions that would correspond to this in James Atlas work - thats why I dont think it might be of any value. Bibliography: Atlas, James. "Among the Lost: Illusions of Immortality, " The New York Times, 7 October 2001
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