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America Attacked:
The Middle East
With David Wurmser
Director of Middle East studies for the American Enterprise Institute
Monday, Sept. 24, 2001; 1 p.m. EDT

Tuesday morning, Sept. 11, in a horrific series of events two hijacked planes hit and destroyed the twin towers of the World Trade Center, one plane crashed into the Pentagon and another in Somerset County, Pa. Thousands are presumed dead or injured as emergency services and relief workers continue to make sense of the chaotic scenes. The FBI and authorities across the country continue to track down those responsible for the crimes.

David Wurmser, director of Middle East studies for the American Enterprise Institute, will be online to take questions and comments on how the attack and America's response has affected the region.

The transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Srinagar JK, India: Don't you think terrorist attacks are after effects [of the] U.S.'s bad policies toward the Middle East and South Asia?

David Wurmser: No, I think we have to revisit this issue of "bad policies." One must remember that the US helped the Afghanis liberate themselves from Russia;, helped the Bosnian Muslims end the attack on them; helped Somalis from starving; helped Syria and the PLO and Egypt retrieve land from Israel even though Israel was a strong Cold War ally while the PLO, Syria and at first Egypt opposed us; granted great amounts of money to the PLO and Egypt and Jordan and Turkey and others to help them out; helped Saudi Arabia defend itself and Kuwait liberate itself from a tyrant who invaded; and finally we went to war in Kosova to save a Muslim population. America has a sterling record of concern for Muslim and Arab sensitivities. Whatever disagreements we may have, this is no reason to annihilate the center of our cities.

Coquitlam, British Columbia: Once a country embarks upon a war path (and especially when fighting an amorphous enemy such a terrorism) its economy and probably its entire infrastructure -- socio-political systems -- must be/is geared toward helping the war cause.

How does the Bush administration intend to reconcile the contradiction in its policy: Namely, launching a war against terorrism/terrorists and their sponsors while simultaneously urging Americans to go about their business a usual?

Three cheers to all our men in uniform.

James Kintu

David Wurmser: We are a big and powerful country. We will not need to mobilize as in World War II. It is important that the terrorists neither dent our immense productivity nor alter our way of functioning as a society. Fortunately, they overestimate their real strength, and like so many ideologies in the 20th century, underestimate our's. There may be temporary problems, but we will bounce back.

Alexandra, Va.: Can any Muslim declare a fatwah? If not, what authority does bin Laden have to issue one?

David Wurmser: My understanding is that only a religious leader can declare a Fatwa. Bin Laden may be overreaching by "declaring" a Fatwa. Still, there are many religious Wahhabi authorities working with the Taliban that might rovide him with such a Fatwa.

Richland, Mich.: Pakistan has cooperated somewhat in the recent past concerning the identification, arrest, and deportation of suspected terrorists. How solid is their government's support for possible U.S. military operations from their country, given their proximity to Afghanistan and the fact that a significant percentage of Pakistanis are reported to be at least sympathetic to bin Laden and his organization?

David Wurmser: Good point. We really don't know yet how solid the government in Pakistan is and whether it can survive the erution of real war. There are many Taliban and bin Laden sympathizers, including people in the security establishment there, and there are millions of Saudi-trained Taliban Wahhabi stuedents that might be sympathetic to bin Laden.

Vienna, Va.: Some people have pointed out that many of the terrorists came from Egypt and Saudi Arabia, two countries with corrupt, repressive regimes backed by the US. By contrast, few came from Jordan, Tunisia or Morocco -- hardly exemplary democracies but still states that give their people a little more "breathing room." Do you think we should encourage Egypt and Saudi Arabia to become more democratic? Is there anything that we can do?

David Wurmser: We have a short term and long term problem. You have pointed out the long term problem. I agree, until we anchor our regional policy to the idea of freedom, then we will alwys have a mess and will see most of the region continue to wallow in economic stagnation as well as political instability.

Woodbridge, Va.: What is the overall "feeling" of the population, not the official government word, in the following countries: Saudi Arabia; UAE; Qatar; Oman; India; Pakistan; Iran and Bangladesh?

David Wurmser: Each is its own case. In Saudi Arabia, we may have a real problem. The Taliban are part of the Saudi Wahhabi sphere of influence, and may Saudis may sympathize. Still, we do not know about Shiites in Saudi Arabia, who number millions, and western area Saudis, who still owe allegiance to the Hashemite king of Jordan. They may be very anti-Taliban, and by extension, anti-Bin Laden. Indians, as well as Israelis, probably feel "I told you so" and would like to be more cultivated as our ally. Iranians seem to hate their government so much that they have taken, on a popular level, to a deeper sympathy for the US -- despite their government's continued hostility. I would say that is a strategic opportunity for us.

Arlington, Va.: I have heard a few reports that Bin Laden apparently bought fissionable material from the Russian mob in the late 90s. Do you know anything about this?

David Wurmser: I have not heard this, but I would not rule anything out.

Bethesda, Md.: Do you think we need to rethink our relationship with Saudi Arabia? Many of the terrorists were Saudi. Rich Saudis back Bin Laden. The Saudi government has been reluctant to assist us against Afghanistan and Iraq. The Saudis are friendly with the Taliban. The Saudis fund rancid anti-Semitic propaganda around the world. The Saudi government is horribly repressive and treats women like subhumans. What more do we need?

David Wurmser: I think you have hit the nail on the head. Ultimately, this WTC/Pentagon attack is anchored to a terror network embedded in Saudi Royal politics. I don't think we will win this war if we do not begin to honestly examine the full nature of Suadi politics and behavior. This is truly the key issue.

Pullman, Wash.: How are pro-Osama Muslims reacting to news stories that the suicide terrorists were consuming vast quatities of alcohol in a strip club prior to the attacks? Does this lessen their view of these men and their mission, or in their fervor are they dismissing such un-Muslim behavior?

David Wurmser: This is a great mystery. These were playboys who drank a lot -- not the model for Muslim piety. Some say they did it as part of their deception to fit in here. But the problem is that we know some of them, such as the Lbeanese guy, Jarra, had a long history of drinking even when he was in Beirut, so it does not seem that this was just deception. This is one of the great mysteries here.

Silver Spring, Md.: You say that Iran offers a "strategic opportunity" for us. How can we exploit this?

David Wurmser: When a people which is oppressed has lost faith in their government and see us a beacon of hope, then it is a strategic opportunity for us. While I have not seen any direct link to Iran in this attack, they have been deeply involved with many others and generally are at the forefront of the global terror netowrk, such as the one which blew up both our Marines in Beiruit and Israelis in Argentina. President Bush made it clear that we will not stop with al-Qaeda and bin-Laden only, but that we will pursue all terrorists of global reach. Iran is on the list of state sponsors of terror. So, having their people our ally against their government is a magnificent opportunity.

Maryland: Are there anough intelligence analysts who speak and write Arabic?

David Wurmser: No, and there are also not enough that really have a feel for the politics of the region. We will have to examine the performance of not only our intelligence community, but our broader Middle East policy community. The post-mortem on this attack will reveal serious lapses and lack of understanding beyond just language skills.

Charlottesville, Va.: Would pulling US troops out of Saudi Arabia serve any useful purpose; i.e. by undercutting one of the radical Muslim arguments? Or would it just destabilize the Saudi regime?

David Wurmser: I would destabilize the Saudi regime, prove that terror can force American retreat (thereby encourage others to hit us) and it would not get at the root problem, which is that these terrorists hate us not for anything we have done, or any policy or deployment, but they hate us for who we are-- the global symbol of freedom. Freedom is an offensive idea to many tyrants in the region, and they are at the source of the state structures supporting the terrorists.

Alexandria, Va.: How many Palestinians participated in demonstrations supporting Bin Laden or the attacks on America?

David Wurmser: Thousands. The problem is that their government, the PLO, has indoctrinated them from early schooling (kindergarten) to gloriify suicide bombers and killing of civilians in Israel and hating the United States. Even their Sesame Street carried six-year children with mock bomb-vests singing how they seek to be martyrs blowing themselves up killing Jews at the gates of Jerusalem -- a far cry from Big Bird. So when the WTC came down, they saw it as the success of all they have been taught by their PLO-run government.

Alexandria, Va.: You say that we need to develop a Middle East policy based on the idea of freedom. But does anyone in the Middle East believe in freedom? It seems to me that all there is reactionary monarchies (the Saudis), kleptocracies (Egypt) and Islamic or radical fanaticism (take your pick). Not many Jeffersonian democrats.

David Wurmser: The answer to change in the Middle East does not lie in their current elites. There are genuine advocates of freedom there, such as the leader of the Iraqi opposition, Ahmanad Chalabi, who represent a different furture. There are others in other coutries, such as Saad Eddin Ibrahim in Egypt. But the US has consistently shunned these in order to maitain "stable" realtins with the current elites in the region. And if we dislay a cavalier attitude toward our values and those who advocate them in the region, you can hardly expect those ideas to get wide traction. That is the source of the problem.

Arlington, Va.: I thought the Saudi government had "disowned" bin Laden as a Saudi years ago. Is this incorrect?

David Wurmser: Part of the Saudi government did -- those surrounding King Fahd and a group called the "Sudairi 7." But the Wahhabi religious establishment as well as another group of royals surrounding Crown Prince Abdallah and former intelligence chief Turki bin Faisal were less comfortable with this or outright sympathetic to bin Laden.

Washington, D.C.: If Pakistan erupts into a revolt or full-blown civil war, what would its longtime enemy India do?

David Wurmser: Probably not much. It seems relatively disinterested in Pakistan from and imperiaal standpoint. They seem most to want to be left alone and focus on their real strategic concern -- China.

Richland, Mich.: How solid is the support, both politically and practically (allowing the U.S. to stage military operations, sharing intelligence, etc.), from the Middle Eastern governments concerning possible military responses the U.S. might make in those regions?

David Wurmser: Very weak. Israel, of course, is willing to jump in the trenches right next to us, as is India and probably Turkey if they thought we were serious. And with Turkey come the central Asian Turkic repulics (Uzbekistan, Khazakstan, Azerbaijan, etc. Mubarak in Egypt is frankly being uncooperative, and Saudi Arabia seems to suffer confusion right now. Syria, Iran, Iraq, the PLO and Sudan are playing a skillful game, but have consistenlty worked to undermine US interests and influence in the region for years, and certainly will continue to do so now, even if they momentarily, out of fear, seem more forthcoming.

Boston, Mass.: I understand that the Islamist movement in Egypt lost a lot of popular support when it massacred tourists a few years ago. Does this mean that there is a possibility for Egypt to open up a little more?

David Wurmser: I am not sure that they are that unpopular, or that the population in Egypt is clearly for us. Again, like in the PLO's areas, the government of Egypt has been hostile to the Untied States in its official state-run press for years and has been praising suicide bombers. It has created a climate of fervor in support of the very type of politics which has fueld this attack. I fear that we now face the consequences of ignoring a decade of incitement.

Washington, D.C.: There are many conflicting reports regarding how much the Saudis plan on helping us. What have we asked and what are they going to do?

David Wurmser: I think the confusion is a result of an unsettled situation in Riyadh. I really do not know what way it will go.

Alta Loma, Calif.: I have read that the Afgani people do not like the Taliban as a whole. Couldn't we use this to our advantage by insiting a revolution?

David Wurmser: Absolutely. I would rather Afghanis crawl through the Hindu Kush chain of the Himalayas hunting bin-Laden and the Taliban leadership down than US troops. They'll help if we ask for it.

Dupont Circle: You say that some elements of the Saudi government are friendly to bin Laden. How can you be friendly to bin Laden while remaining an ally of the USA?

David Wurmser: That's the key. Some elements of the Royal family do not feel comfortable being friendly to the US. Others do. Tensions with the US help our opponents in the royal family orphan this crowd that supports us and undermine their political viability in Saudi Arabia. An attack such as this is desinged to bring this to the fore.

Los Angles, Calif.: I am a Palestinian American, very connected to our country. My entire family was schooled in the West Bank and Israel.

I'm thoroughly entertained by your characterization of Palestinians and the apparent brainwashing you insist is prevalent.

Yes, Palestinians are deeply angered by policies in Israel and the U.S. as it relates to their homes and freedom. But they do not need formalized propaganda to form the opinions they have. Watching their homes bulldozed by state-sponsored warrants and "made in the U.S." explosives rocketing through their ceilings speak volumes.

All of this, still has nothing to do with the fact that millions of Arabs here and back home are genuinely horrified over the Sept. 11 attacks. Arabs can be upset about U.S. foreign policies and Israel's inequalities, and not wish death on millions of innocent civilians.

Thank you.

David Wurmser: The massive brainwashing of Palestinians by the PLO-run state is a well-documented fact. I simply reject that anything that Israel has done at all justifies the mass murder from which we have just suffered. Both America and Israel have worked hard to bring about an end to the Arab-Israeli conflcit, and Israel last year offered the PLO a return of 95 % of the West Bank of Gaza, and additional equivalent amount of territory from Israel to compensate for the remaining five percent, and sovereignty over the Temple Mount, Judaism's holiest point on earth. The PLO responded with a war. People of good faith are trying to solve this problem, and seeking answers to the WTC attack in the inadequacy of ability to sovle this is a shibbolet.

Alta Loma, Calif.: Do you think the Saudi people are also divided in their loyalty or is the division mostly in the government? I spent several years there and no one was ever hostile towards me.

David Wurmser: We really can't say. Saudi Arabia is a very secretive society. Hopefully, we have many friends. Deep down, I am confident that we do.

Plano, Tex.: Since the Taliban are a result of the USA's blind support of anyone that was anti-commie no matter how foul they were, shouldn't great caution be taken in selecting Afghan allies? Shouldn't assurances that, if victorious, the people we support will form a Democratic State where there are Equal Rights for Man and Women and Religious and political freedom? Right now, it seems that our support of the rebels against the Soviets was the worst thing that ever happened to Afghanistan.

David Wurmser: True. But the Taliban are the worst of the lot. Let's first deal with that problem, but I think your suggestion that we hold those we support to high standards is the least we can ask if we come to their aid.

Capitol Hill: How can the USA support freedom in the region without alienating regimes whose help we need?

David Wurmser: Good point, but how much help do we really need from places like Syria, Iran, Sudan, Iraq, Lebanon or the PLO, or even Syria? Pakistan is a unique case for the moment, but perhaps we should rethink our entire Middle East policy to focus more on nations that do seem to have greater respect for human rights, like Turkey, Israel, and moderate Arab monarchies such as Kuwait and Jordan. This would involve a retooling of our entire Middle East strategy in the last 75 years, but then again, that may be just what is needed.

Maryland: Do you see the events of Sept. 11 as an intelligence failure or as a policy failure?

David Wurmser: Both, and we will have to deal honestly with both.

washingtonpost.com:

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