9/11/2001 Attack vs. Pearl Harbor Attack

Here is a recent news story: Bibi blasts ceasefire: Israeli PM Asks if U.S. Would Have Ceasefire After Pearl Harbor, 9/11.

What an absurd comparison!

More profoundly, is the analogy between the 9/11 attack and the Pearl Harbor attack, as is often done in America, even valid?

Yes and no!

Yes, it is valid for two superficial reasons:

They both were sneak attacks on American soil by foreign forces.
About 3,000 Americans were killed on the day of each attack.

No, it is invalid for two main reasons:

The reasons behind the two attacks were fundamentally different.
America’s responses to the two attacks were fundamentally different, too.

It is very important for Americans to truly understand these profound differences to safeguard America’s future!

1. Background

Let me highlight the two attacks, respectively.

1.1 The Pearl Harbor attack

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – Pearl Harbor Attack.

The attack on Pearl Harbor, also known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor,^[9] the Hawaii Operation or Operation AI by the Japanese Imperial General Headquarters,^[10][11] and Operation Z during planning,^[12] was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, in the United States Territory of Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941. The attack led to the United States’ entry into World War II.

1.2 The 9/11 attack

Below is an excerpt from Wikipedia – 9/11 Attack.

The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11,^[d] were four coordinated Islamist suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001.

2. The reasons behind the two attacks

Let me highlight the reasons behind the two attacks, respectively.

2.1 The reasons behind the Pearl Harbor attack

Japan’s ambition to conquer the world by conquering [East] Asia first is well documented in the Tanaka Memorial – See image below.

Specifically, by November 1941, Japan pretty much occupied the entirety of East Asia, including Korea, Taiwan, and [most of] China. The biggest military threat to more Japanese expansions (e.g., to the Philippines and Indonesia) was America, or the Pacific Fleet specifically. So, on December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, where the Pacific Fleet was headquartered.

What a big gamble and an even bigger mistake by Japan!

2.2 The reasons behind the 9/11 attack

The 9/11 attack, carried out by al-Qaeda, was also an attack on American soil. Before that, al-Qaeda carried out multiple attacks on America outside of America. Two examples:

In short, the 9/11 attack was merely an escalation of the war against America, with the maximal effect: It brought the war to America!

Why is there such an al-Qaeda war against America? Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaeda then, hated America’s interventionist policy in the Mideast! He used his own money as well as religion as a tool to recruit and train his jihadists!

3. America’s responses to the two attacks

Let me highlight America’s responses to the two attacks, respectively.

3.1 America’s response to the Pearl Harbor attack

On December 8, 1941, one day after the Pearl Harbor attack, America declared war on Japan! All of America was then mobilized to enter WWII and fight until its last day when Japan unconditionally surrendered – See photo below.

3.2 America’s response to the 9/11 attack

On September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush declared “War on Terror” (On This Day: President Bush Declares “War-on-Terror”), which I believe was a terrible mistake, because it initiated a perpetual, but unwinnable, war for America! On October 7, 2001, America invaded Afghanistan (War in Afghanistan) to go after Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attack, which I believe was correct.

Unfortunately, by the Summer of 2002, it became obvious that the War in Afghanistan was not easily winnable, which could therefore have put President Bush’s 2004 re-election bid in jeopardy. Something bigger had to be done to turn the public’s attention away from Afghanistan – Iraq was chosen! That, to me (in a Sherlock Holmes style), was the real reason behind the Iraq War, which was launched on March 20, 2003!

In other words, Iraq was merely a casualty of American politics at the time, but it was billed by the Bush administration as an extension of the response to the 9/11 attack – Totally illogical and wrong! It was like attacking Canada as a response to the Pearl Harbor attack! Two facts:

Iraq was not a part of the 9/11 attack on America.
Saddam Hussein, the dictator in Iraq at the time, was not friendly with Osama bin Laden, and there was no Al-Qaeda in Iraq before the Iraq War was launched.

Everything went wrong from there on, including the War in Afghanistan! Specifically,

The War in Afghanistan was finally over in 2021, one decade after Osama bin Laden was killed.
The entire Mideast is in total chaos.

Two informative readings on the Mideast:

More profoundly, the Iraq War revealed the true nature of America: the last big colonial power standing (Colonial America 1776-2040?), or simply, Imperial America!

4. Imperial America vs. Imperial Japan

Imperial America launched the Iraq War similarly to the way Imperial Japan launched the attack on Pearl Harbor: bombing first and worrying about the consequences later!

4.1 Imperial Japan

Two Japanese individuals were chiefly responsible for the Pearl Harbor attack:

Hideki Tojo. He was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, and the 40th Prime Minister of Japan from October 17, 1941, to July 22, 1944. He ordered the Pearl Harbor attack.
Isoroku Yamamoto. He was a Japanese Naval Marshal General and the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during WWII. He directed the Pearl Harbor attack.

There was a fierce debate between the Imperial Japanese Army and the Imperial Japanese Navy about what to do with America. The Army, led by Tojo, wanted to attack Pearl Harbor. The Navy, led by Yamamoto, was against the idea of an attack. Below is a rumored dialog between them:

Tojo: Can you wipe out the Pacific Fleet in a few days?

Yamamoto: Yes, I can. But then what?

Tojo: Hmm … Let us worry about that later.

Yamamoto was a Harvard graduate and a well-traveled man, having seen the potential of America. Tojo, on the other hand, was limited in his knowledge about America. The debate between them was over when Tojo became the Prime Minister on October 17, 1941. He ordered Yamamoto to attack Pearl Harbor, which was carried out on December 7, 1941.

4.2 Imperial America

A simple question: before the Iraq War was launched, was there a debate within the Bush administration like the one Japan had before the Pearl Harbor attack?

I bet yes, especially the “then what?” part!

What was the answer?

“Let’s worry about that later,” just like that in the case of Japan.

For a comprehensive review of the Iraq War, including what happened inside the Bush administration, especially the lack of planning about governing after toppling the Saddam regime, watch the video below.

4.3 Summary

The Pearl Harbor attack proved to be a huge mistake by the Japanese government. Who made that mistake specifically? Tojo, as he was a de facto dictator! Tojo was eventually held accountable – He was prosecuted and hanged on December 23, 1948!

The Iraq War was obviously a huge mistake by the American government. Who made that mistake specifically? President George W. Bush? Perhaps, but he was not a dictator. Who has been held accountable? No one, yet! Below are several calls:

What, then, is Mr. Blair’s position on the Iraq War? Here is a 2015 news story: Tony Blair’s acceptance that Iraq war facilitated rise of ISIS is a first step to acknowledging the conflict was a disaster.

What about President George W. Bush’s position?

No change of heart, yet!

5. Discussion

The analogy between the 9/11 attack and the Pearl Harbor attack will continue in America for a long time, not because of intellectual rigor but because of political expedience (Brainwashing and America).

The 9/11 attack was undoubtedly the worst attack on America in recent history. Unfortunately, our response was much worse than the attack itself, in terms of the damage to America, both at home and abroad.

5.1 Damage at home

Here is one example:

Here is another example:

For more, watch the video below.

As for the Pearl Harbor attack, America did make a huge mistake in its response: Internment of Japanese Americans. It remains one of the darkest spots in American history. The mistake must not be repeated, by race, ethnicity, or religion!

5.2 Damage abroad