A MISJUDGEMENT

by RAY FLEMING
There were always accusations that the US government's decision to mark the 5th anniversary of 9/11 in special ways was political in character and linked to the Republican campaign for the Congressional elections in November. In principle the accusations seemed unjustified since major commemorations tend to be based on five year spans. Most of the events on Monday were clearly apolitical and many were deeply moving. It was therefore a disappointment that President Bush chose to play the political card in his televised address to the American nation on Monday night. His call to "put aside our differences and work together to meet the test that history has given us" might have received a ready response had it not been linked to a renewed justification of the invasion of Iraq and a claim that a "struggle for civilisation" would be determined in part by the course of the war in Iraq.
It is depressing to hear Mr Bush reviving the references to "civilisation" which so marred and devalued his statements about the war on terror five years ago; it is to be hoped that he will not revert to calls for a "crusade". Obviously he hoped that "putting aside differences" would mean accepting his interpretation of the world situation. But such a hope is likely to be disappointed. Senator Edward Kennedy was quick to say that the president "should be ashamed of using a day of national mourning" to justify his Iraq policy.