Jack Straw, Al-Qa’eda And The 1998 Bombings
JNV Anti-War Briefing 58 (24 March 2004)

Posted: 09 April 2004

THE OUTRAGEOUSNESS OF JACK STRAW
In a wide-ranging interview, the British Foreign Secretary has expressed regret that the international community failed to take ‘earlier action to deal with al-Qa’eda and the failing state which was harbouring it, which was Afghanistan.’ If this ‘earlier action’ had been taken, according to Mr Straw, ‘we might have avoided September 11 and everything that has followed.’ (Telegraph, 20 Mar. 2004, p. 11)

The Foreign Secretary recalls ‘eight years of a rising crescendo of outrageous attacks from al-Qa’eda’ from the 1993 attempt on the World Trade Centre to the attacks on the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, and on the USS Cole in 2000.

Looking back, Mr Straw believes that al-Qa’eda became ‘increasingly emboldened’ by the ‘lack of reaction’ from the international community, following these ‘pretty astonishing attacks.’ ‘And that led to these amazing attacks on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon…’