Reflections on 9/11, Bad Halloween Costumes and Greek Optimism

PNUT GALLERY

Greta Zimmer Friedman, the woman who was kissed by a sailor in the iconic photograph on VJ Day, died at age 92. The kiss seen ’round the world is still remembered today as an image that marks the end of World War II.

 IN A NUTSHELL: MUST READ

 9/11: Taking Stock Of The Past 15 Years

It’s been 15 years since 19 terrorists killed almost 3,000 people on September 11, setting off a chain of events that we are still trying to grapple with to this day. Looking back, we thought we would take stock of the past 15 years and why 9/11 is one of those rare, history changing moments:

• Osama bin Laden: It took a few years and a cross country manhunt but the mastermind behind the attacks was eventually tracked down and killed in Pakistan.
• Al Qaeda and radical Islamism: The organization and ideology that drove the 9/11 attack fared better than its leader. While drone attacks and targeted killings decimated al-Qaeda’s core, its affiliates have been able to thrive in Syria and Iraq. Its most successful offshoot, ISIS, adopted practices so barbaric that al-Qaeda had to distance itself from the group. They’ve been able to prove their effectiveness both regionally and as far away as Orlando, Paris and Sydney, prompting lone-wolf attacks that are harder to identify and stop.
• Safety: Despite the proliferation of radical groups, the US is, by and large, safer than it was 15 years ago. Better intelligence sharing across agencies means that the US and its allies can respond to threats quicker and more effectively. The US has also greatly expanded its “surveillance” system which raises uncomfortable questions about privacy vs. security and how much the US should be allowed to spy on people – something which is easier than ever considering the wide adoption of smart phones.
• Pax-Americana: The 9/11 attacks marked the last chapter of the post-Cold War world where the US could unilaterally act around the world. The double invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq signified the height of American power but also signified how constrained US power would be if it acted alone, without broad consensus in the international community. The ongoing debacle in Iraq fed Islamic extremism, made the relationship with Iran more complex and created space for countries like China to challenge US hegemony outside of the Middle East. Pivot to Asia, anyone?
• New York: The world’s most resilient city bounced back stronger than ever.

We would be remiss if we didn’t mention that at yesterday’s 9/11 commemoration event Hillary Clinton felt unwell and had to leave. Doctors say she is diagnosed with pneumonia and it is unclear, to us, if this warrants serious concern or is just another “nontroversy” of the campaign. We will track this story and keep you posted.

GOOD READ: Politico Reports On What Happened On Air Force One During 9/11

NUTS AND BOLTS: SHOULD READ

Greek PM Insists Light At End Of Tunnel Is Not Train Heading In Your Direction

Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras tried to fight his low poll numbers by going on the offensive against Greece’s creditors in the eight-year-old debt crisis that the country’s been facing. At a recent press conference in Thessaloniki, Tsipras told the press that Greece could see “light at the end of the tunnel” and a return to economic growth if lenders could only agree on writing off some of Greece’s huge debt pile. Tsipras insists that after eight years of depression, growth is just around the corner for 2017. The argument, while optimistic, sounds eerily familiar to the one his predecessor had made – and Tsipras had dismissed – before he took power in 2015. His partners in the EU aren’t convinced though, especially when you consider that Greece only implemented two out of 15 promised reforms since last year. What makes things even more complicated is that Germany faces national elections next year, and with Merkel struggling to hold onto power, its hard to imagine her throwing Greece a lifeline.

Does Anyone Like Mexico’s President? Anyone?

The dust has barely settled after President Enrique Peña Nieto received massive country-wide backlash for his meeting with Donald Trump, and already a new crop of citizens are back in the streets to protest. Only this time, they’re a bit more conservative. Tens of thousands of protestors marched in multiple cities across the country on Saturday, challenging Peña Nieto’s proposal to recognize same-sex marriage. While same-sex marriage is permitted in Mexico City and several states, Peña Nieto proposed changing the constitution to allow it nationally, which doesn’t sit well with the nation’s conservatives. Just add that group to the list of people who are mad at him, whether it’s because of Donald Trump, the slowing economy, his multiple corruption scandals or his handling of drug-related violence.

Elected Mayors Removed From Office In The Name Of ‘Democracy’

Turkish President Erdogan is back at it again. Using that convenient “emergency law” of his, 28 elected mayors have been removed from office and will be replaced by trustees appointed by the government. In a display of dwindling democracy, protests broke out in southeastern Turkey, in the largely-Kurdish towns where the mayors were removed. At least 200 people were dispersed by tear gas and water cannons after they gathered outside city hall in Suruc, while another four people – including a deputy mayor – were detained in Hakkari province. Some Turkish media reports said that the internet and electricity had been cut off in the affected cities.

 KEEPING OUR EYE ON

Barcelona: Over 540,000 Catalan separatists took to the streets on Sunday in a call for independence. Catalan separatist leader Carles Puigdemont said that he plans to propose a government-approved binding independence referendum to secede from Spain by next year.

North Dakota: In an unusual intervention, the Obama administration temporarily blocked construction of part of the Dakota Access oil pipeline after a federal judge had cleared the project. Thousands of Native Americans and activists have been protesting, arguing that the pipeline could destroy tribal water supplies and ancestral cultural sites.

Ivory: After days of disagreements and walk-outs, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) agreed on a text that calls on countries to close the internal trade of ivory. Although the new ban on domestic ivory trade is not legally binding, it could limit future trade and poaching.

US Open: After four grueling sets, Stan Wawrinka beat Novak Djokovic to win the US Open men’s title. This marks Wawrinka’s third grand slam title with a 6-7, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3 victory. Earlier, Germany’s Angelique Kerber solidified her number one spot by beating Karolina Pliskova for the women’s title. Kerber is the first German to win the US Open since Steffi Graf in 1996.

 LOOSE NUTS: FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT

 Australian Student Dresses As Hitler, Wins ‘Best Dressed’

An Australian school had to apologize after a a student attended a school event in costume as Adolf Hitler – and was then named “best dressed” at the event. And if that weren’t bad enough, the tone-deaf boy was then praised for his “best dressed’ win in front of a group of Jewish exchange students from Bialik College in Melbourne. The principal confirmed the student asked “a respected staff member” for permission to dress up as the Nazi dictator and that she had said yes. While allowing to the boy to dress as Hitler at a school function was bad enough, naming him “best dressed” feels excessive. Faculty blamed the “busy” calendar for how his attire slipped by but have offered no excuses as to why the attire was then celebrated.