Abolish the boom

“You’re not supposed to utter these words, but what the heck: Osama bin Laden had a point. No, his grievances, as well as those of his followers and sympathizers, didn’t excuse the mass murder of 9/11—not by a long shot. After all, I am a native New Yorker whose family and neighborhood were directly touched by the horror of those inexcusable attacks. Still, more than 17 years after the attacks on the Pentagon and twin towers, it’s worth reflecting on bin Laden’s motives and discussing the stark fact that the United States government has made no moves to address his gripes.”

What if Osama bin Laden Had Legitimate Grievances? Al-Qaida didn’t attack the U.S. simply because it hated our “freedoms.” The group’s leader had specific gripes that the U.S. has still not addressed.