Today was, of course, a day to look back at those awful events of five years ago in America.
I was teaching that day in Fakenham and meeting parents for a "parents consultation" or "meet the teacher" session for the parents of my new class. Every five minutes the staff were rushing in to the one classroom that had a TV to see what was happening.
The most chilling moment was when the first tower collapsed, knowing so many had perished that moment, but I also remember the fear when it all first happened, when it was reported that the americans were clearing their airspace, but there was some "other" planes that could still be flying heading for who knows where. My drive home that evening was very sombre and I was quite depressed about the world and the future for some time afterwards.
The shame of that day is, for me, that the US, and Britain learnt nothin from that day other than to lash out in the most extreme of ways to seek retribution. Whilst I supported the effrot given to getting the Taliban out of Afghanistan (and I still do), the whole Iraq debacle was, I always felt, going to be a disaster, and it continues to be, and despite what Tony Blair says, it has led to Britain being at increased risk of attack from terrorists, be they born in the UK or not.
Sadly today, David Cameron tried some political grandstanding to win some votes. He apparently now does not support the US over issues like Iraq. What he didn't say was that the Tories voted to support the war in Iraq, and he himself supported it. Again, he tries to steal the clothes of the Lib Dems (who always opposed the war) in order to win votes. Sad !
Finally, shouldn't we call it 11/9 and not 9/11 ? Just a thought, not a joke, most certainly not a joke on a day like today.
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