Q & A: Talat Hamdani

by Matthew Chavez

Daily Lobo columnist

Mohammad Salman Hamdani, a Pakistani-born New York City police cadet and medical student, died 6 years ago today in the cascading towers that would also claim the lives of thousands of other victims and provoke an escalating series of barbarous U.S. invasions. I spoke with Talat Hamdani, Mohammad Salman Hamdani's mother and a member of September 11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, about the attacks and the U.S. government's responses.

Daily Lobo: How can U.S. foreign policy best honor the memory of your son and the many other victims of the September 11 attacks?

Talat Hamdani: That's a very good question and a challenging one. First, the Congress should not exploit my son's death and the deaths of the other 3,000 people that died that day for their own agendas. It's immoral, and that's what they've been doing consistently each and every year. The fact that they held (Gen. David) Petraeus's testimony today, when tomorrow is the sixth anniversary of Sept. 11, they still want to make the connection and keep the feeling of revenge and anger alive among Americans, that we are fighting in Iraq because of what happened six years ago. Iraq has nothing to do with the Sept. 11 tragedy. If they want to really honor the people who died that day, do not make it an issue for your political games. If you really want to serve the world as a peace-loving nation, try to bring the world together and go with diplomacy instead of weapons.

DL: Many analysts attribute the growth of non-state terrorism to habitual Western military intervention abroad. Do you agree with this argument?

TH: To a certain degree, I agree with it, because prior to 9/11, people liked America - they looked upon us as a great nation. But after going into Afghanistan, after we demonized the faith of Muslims in that part of the world, that generated anger. It's the policies. The foreign policies of our current administration are responsible for where we are right now. We have lost all credibility in the world. Native-born Americans are embarrassed. They know our foreign policy needs to be changed.

DL: What can regular people do to prevent another Sept. 11?

TH: Ordinary people should get more involved with government policies, tune in to C-SPAN, try to educate themselves about the different issues facing our nation. Try to get to know their senators and their congresspeople, how they're voting, what kind of bills are being proposed. When you do not oppose (proposed legislation), they take it as though you agree with it. You can sign up at Thomas.loc.gov and C-Span.org. The United States Institute of Peace keeps you updated on how your senators and congresspeople vote on bills you are interested in. With the Internet, it's not difficult at all. Get involved. Find out who your congressperson is, what kind of bills he or she is pursuing, whether you agree. And if you don't agree with them, call them up and let them know.

DL: How do you respond to those who emphasize war as the most important counterterrorism strategy?

TH: If you advocate war, you think through military action you can solve the issues of so-called terrorist nations, then, please, go to the front line. Send your children. Send your nieces and nephews, your wife, your family. Practice what you preach. If I have to defend my nation, I'm going to defend my nation, but on my own soil. If you think that's the best way, then go there. Don't sit here in the confines of your luxuriously air-conditioned palaces and castles and hideouts. It's a chessboard game for the politicians. To them, it's just about power and pulling the strings. But if you've exhausted all the diplomatic avenues and you see it's not going anywhere, get on the ground; get on the battlefield first. Our president and vice president have never seen the war front. How can they talk about something they've never witnessed or experienced? Do you know what it is like to lose a child?

DL: How would U.S. withdrawal from Iraq affect global terrorism?

TH: I don't know about global terrorism, but it would definitely decrease the anger that the world has against us. It will make them realize that America is not a war-mongering nation. We can still work under the banner of the United Nations. Send the U.N. troops out there, from all the different nations, to keep guard there, and let them run their own show. We have become the target instead of the defender. (U.S. forces) are doing their duty there. If we use them for the wrong cause, it's un-American. When we say "With Justice and Liberty" and "In God We Trust," then we should follow our motto. We will always remain a great nation. We just need a change of administration.