9-11 Reflections

9-11 2021- was the classic black swan event, a low probability event that changed almost everything. The world can be divided into a pre-9-11 world and a Post 9-11 world. 9-11 led to the Afghanistan war, recently concluded, the Iraq war, the Syria war, the Libyan civil war, countless wars in Africa, the war on terror, the Muslim travel ban, the war on domestic dissent in so many parts of the world, all justified as a reaction against the events of that September day. Here are some of my reflections on the events of 9-11 including a prose poem about where I was that terrible day. It affected me deeply because at the time I was a US immigration officer in the State Department serving in Mumbai, (Bombay) India.

” The attacks had a profound and lasting impact on the country, especially regarding its foreign and domestic policies. U.S. Pres. George W. Bush declared a global “war on terrorism,” and lengthy wars in Afghanistan and Iraq followed. Meanwhile, security measures within the United States were tightened considerably, especially at airports. To help facilitate the domestic response, Congress quickly passed the controversial USA PATRIOT Act, which significantly expanded the search and surveillance powers of federal law-enforcement and intelligence agencies. Additionally, a cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security was created.”

Comments appreciated.

Index
Reflections on 9-11 where I was Prose Poem
Reflections on 9-11 where was I then
Reflections on 9-11
9-11 Unleashed Evil
The Day After 9-11 U.S Visa Officer’s Perspective
9-11 Fridge (Based on fridge magnet poems daily prompts)

Reflections on 911 Where I was Prose Poem

On 9-11
When the planes struck the World Trade center
Unleashing evil on the world
I was working
at the deputy consular chief
at the US Consulate
in Mumbai (Bombay) India

I was at a Polish national day event
at the legendary Taj Mahal hotel
chatting with the Polish Ambassador
and his charming wife.

Someone told me
I needed to check out the news,
I saw the CNN news feed,
I rushed back to the consulate
to prepare our response.

I put together a task force
focused on helping American citizens
in our district.

I worked almost 15-20 hours
for almost three days
before finally getting a night off.

We continued to process visas
during this time
but our priority
was to reach out to the Americans
who lived in our district

and to monitor the reactions of Indians
especially Muslims living in our district.

I tracked down my wife
who had gone into emergency action
in her position in Korea as a MI officer.

We both reflected
That if she had not taken the job in Korea
She might have died that day

As she had been working in the ops center
At the Pentagon which was destroyed.

Since it was shift work
if she had been on the early morning shift
it might have been game over for her.

Reflections on 9-11

the events of 9-11
transformed the modern world
in the aftermath of 9-11
the US launched the war on terror
That led to Afghanistan
Led to Iraq
Led to Syria
And so many other wars
Secret and not so secret
War on dissent at home
All because of 911

A true black swan event
That almost destroyed
Our country

And still has ramifications
All over the world

911

A day that truly
Will live
In infamy

9-11 unleashed Evil

Evil in this world
lurks in the deadliest places.
Evil came to town on 911
the day that evil
Swept over the world

a true Black Swan event
that changed almost everything
splitting the world
into a pre-9-11 world
and a post 9-11 world

unleashing the War on Terror, the wars in Afghanistan, the wars in Iraq, the war in Libya, the war in Syria, the wars in Africa, the horrors of ISIS, the horrors of the Taliban resurgent, the horrors of Al Qaeda and all the rest of the Muslim terrorists, the war in the streets of any big city, the war on Muslims, the war on Christians, the war on Jews , the apartheid in Palestine, the wars on dissent at home, the Arab Spring

so many things can be traced
to the impact of 9/11
One of the most unlikely events
of recent history

that totally transformed
everything

yes there was a pre 9-11 world
hard to imagine now

and a post 9-11 world-wide police state
on steroids
War on democracy at home
and abroad

the world is still coping
with the damages unleashed
by the evil plane bombers
and their mad desires
their dictates from their mad God
transforming the world

unleashing evil
on the once innocent world.

The Day After 9-11 U.S Visa Officer’s Perspective

9-11 changed everything
For the lowly visa officers
Around the world

Especially for American visa officers
Pre-9-11
The emphasis was on efficiency

Issuing as many visas as possible
Refusing a few as possible
Looking the other way
At minor incidents of fraud

When in doubt
Just say yes

Terrorism was not a concern at all
No one anticipated
The horrible events of 9-11

All the hijackers
Had been issued visas
hey were considered low-risk applicants
As most Saudi citizens were

Few overstayed
None wanted to work
Illegally in the U.S.

The students studied
Came back home

Saudi, the UAE, and Oman
Were about to be approved
For the visa waiver program

They met the criteria
Low refusal rates
Low overstay rates
Terrorism was not a concern
Although the CIA was blocking it

On 9-12 and afterwards
Everything changed

Just say yes
Became just say no
Fraud became a big concern
Terrorism an overwhelming concern

Saudi, Oman and UAE
Became overnight
Suspicious characters

Extreme vetting began
Years before Trump
Announced it

Interviewing everyone
Became the policy overnight

Biometrics were rushed to be deployed
Everyone including Kings
Must be enrolled

No exceptions
Zero tolerance of visa infractions
Became the norm
Both at State and at the new DHS

Airports became unfriendly nightmares
For foreign visitors
As did the embassies

Where visa officers
Were now free
To be mean, abrupt

Just say no
Became the motto

The officers had 2 minutes
To go through the ever expanding
Security checks etc

Anything at all
That took two more minutes
Led to a quit denial

Denials were seldom overcome
Even when it was obvious
That the visa should have been issue

The visa function almost moved
To the new neo-fascist
Department of Homeland Security
Nicknamed by its critics
As the Homeland Security Ministry

The homeland security department
Send visa security officers
Overseas to police the lax state department
Whose prior courtesy culture was mocked

The new mean to everyone culture
Soon emerged
Everyone competed
To see who could be the meanest

Zero tolerance soon met zero common sense
Every applicant became a potential criminal
A potential security threat,

All Muslim applicants
Were seen as potential terrorists

All of this led
To the draconian visa policies
which began
on September 12, 2001
the day after 9-11

then Trump and his MAGA crew
swept to power
extreme vetting became the new mantra
unleashing a war
on Muslims and immgirants
that sadly had continued
to this day

The culmination of years
Of the war on terror
All of this was the result of 9-11
The day that changed everything.

Following 9/11
Patriots Blunder
Whack a mole
Worry Frequently
About terrorists and Muslims
Whomever, wherever they be

Blunder
Whack
Tapered
9/11
whomever
Possibly
Pedicure
Embezzle
Worry
Frequent
Scoop
Mu
Kacey Musgraves
Quickly
NFL
Marshal
They
Reign
Pineal
Matrix
Titanic
Excepting
Fabulous
Clement
Abbey
Hawaii
Rock
Uphill
Flame
Washy
Twin Towers
Patriots
Ox
Junket
Audit
Static
Commensurate
Bye
Breed
Sharp
Numb
Spaceship
Cyborg
Unclog