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The 9/11 Legacy

Unsurprisingly the first circle is where there is most focus. All the stories of those who lost their lives or loved ones have an essential humanity that it is impossible to escape. Now a generation on we see the images of small children with the parents they never got to know who are grown up and can reflect on the lives that could have been lived. So many of the stories are around small life moments and decisions that could have changed everything. A train that was missed, a decision to call in sick or to run errands that saved a life. United 93, for example, the flight where the passengers fought back causing it to crash into a field, was initially delayed allowing those on board to hear what had happened to the Twin Towers and take action.
Documentary makers have had the time and license to interview and get full honest reflections from the key players in the UK Government. Former President Bush explained to the BBC how when being told by aides that America was under attack, he decided to continue reading stories to children not to panic them whilst gathering his thoughts. His movements on that day are a reminder of the chaos and fear that gripped the country that day. The President was on a defenceless Air Force One worried that he was going to be targeted whilst Americans fled their offices in Washington terrified that any aircraft above may be about to crash into them.
In terms of the second circle – everyone knows where they were on 9/11. Listening to oral histories they often start with the weather. People remember the surprisingly hot September morning, the clear blue sky that would contrast so devastatingly with the all-enveloping dust that would cover the New York a few hours later. Bush administration officials would reflect that he was a relatively new President who was focused on a domestic agenda. 9/11 would take him in an entirely different direction and it is in American foreign policy that the largest numbers of people were affected by that single day.
Without 9/11 it is inconceivable that the US would have invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. Would the Taliban have remained in power in Kabul and Saddam Hussein in Iraq? It is hard to see an alternative at least in the short term. Instead, the ‘War on Terror’ was launched and has metastasised over time with vast cost and consequence. Brown University’s Costs of War project reveals the cost since September 11, 2001 exceeds $8 trillion and that wars have directly killed an estimated 897,000 to 929,000 people.
Former President Bush defended his decisions arguing that there hasn’t been a major attack on the US homeland since 9/11. Yet the original ‘Bush Doctrine’ was set out against States that support or harbour terrorist groups. Today the Taliban is back in power in Kabul and the central Middle East is still recovering from the territorial ambitions of ISIS, arguably the most resourced and dangerous terrorist entity of the modern age. America no longer has the ambitions to ensure that ungoverned parts of the world can’t be used by terrorist entities. Yet it has subsequently developed the means of remote warfare to conduct surveillance with lethal options in the forms of drones that give it a standoff presence in all corners of the planet.
The moment of 9/11’s twentieth anniversary will understandably focus on the most immediate circle of those have been affected, yet it is non-Americans who represent the single largest cohort of those whose lives were changed by what followed the attack and their voices are marginalised at these moments of remembrance.
by: James Denselow

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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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