In the subsequent days, our press continued to disseminate news and images concerning the September 11th tragedy. Tens of thousands of individuals lost their lives or suffered injuries, and ongoing rescue operations were in progress. The U.S. military remained on high alert. Leaders and citizens from numerous countries worldwide expressed their condolences to the American Government and its people. As of the afternoon of September 12th, the precise casualty figures in the U.S. had not yet been determined, but U.S. officials estimated a potentially substantial loss of life, with the death toll from the Pentagon attack alone reaching 800 people. The number of casualties and injuries at the World Trade Center was estimated to be around ten thousand, while all 266 passengers and crew members on the four hijacked planes perished. Additionally, approximately 300 rescue workers, including 200 firefighters and 78 New York police officers, were either deceased or missing.

The U.S. President classified the terrorist attack as an "act of war." The global Muslim community was eager to convey a message asserting that Muslims were not responsible for these acts of terrorism, emphasizing the need for America to reconsider its foreign policy. The United States was working diligently to address the repercussions of the September 11th tragedy, with the U.S. intelligence and security apparatus operating in a state of heightened alert. President G.W. Bush had issued orders to shoot down suspicious civilian aircraft, and the U.S. was actively preparing for potential military action in Afghanistan. The U.S. had also ordered the mobilization of 50,000 reserve troops as part of its response efforts. Meanwhile, Americans were striving to return to normalcy while the U.S. escalated military pressure on Afghanistan, launching the "Infinite Justice" campaign.

The situation was evolving rapidly in a tense direction. At this juncture, the Vietnamese Government articulated its stance through a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Ms. Phan Thuy Thanh: "We believe that the United States must exercise caution, accurately identify the responsible parties, and take actions that adhere to the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter, international law, and respect the sovereignty of other nations. It is imperative that these actions do not further complicate international relations or cause harm to innocent civilians' lives and property."

Simultaneously, the United States exacerbated global tension by passing the "Vietnam Human Rights Act." Public opinion, both domestically and internationally, unequivocally condemned terrorism and opposed the U.S.'s initiation of war. There was also a widespread demand for the U.S. to rescind the aforementioned contentious law concerning Vietnam. The situation remained exceptionally complex. The U.S. seized the opportunity to implement its strategy, effectively dividing the world into two camps: one that stood against terrorism and, to demonstrate their anti-terrorism commitment, supported the U.S., and another that did not. Supporting America was equated with opposing terrorism. Nevertheless, humanity inherently aspired for peace, and even in the pursuit of eliminating terrorism, it was imperative for the United States to uphold the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and international law when taking retaliatory measures against terrorism.

Ten days after the September 11th catastrophe in the U.S., the press continued to focus on developments in the United States. By September 20th, rescue agencies had identified 6,333 individuals as missing. The majority of Americans had resumed their daily routines. Addressing both houses of Congress, the U.S. President addressed the September 11th disaster, announcing his intention to employ "all necessary means" in the global campaign against terrorism and calling upon the U.S. military to be prepared for action. The U.S. war apparatus was operating at full throttle, with U.S. military forces deploying to the Gulf region. America was forging ahead with war plans without fully contemplating the potential dire consequences, even as demonstrators called for restraint and avertance of brutal retaliation. The U.S. intensified its approach toward Afghanistan.

The extensive propaganda efforts and strong statements from the U.S. political elite had fueled a warlike mentality within America. According to public opinion polls conducted by ABC and The Washington Post, 8 out of 10 Americans surveyed expressed increased confidence in resolving the crisis following Bush's speech. In the midst of this crisis, 9 out of 10 individuals supported Mr. Bush's proposed solutions, with 75% endorsing his call for a large-scale war against terrorism. Observers noted that the encouragement from American lawmakers and media resembled a "political script" designed to galvanize American soldiers and young people for war. In a further escalation, the U.S. government issued warnings about potential second-round terrorism and declared its intent to proceed with attacks regardless of whether the United Nations extended its support or opposition.

In this atmosphere, right in the heart of America, Muslims are living in constant fear of retaliation. The Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington has documented over 350 cases of violent threats, discrimination, and attacks against Muslims in the United States since the tragic events occurred. The recent killing of an Egyptian-born grocer in Los Angeles is just the latest incident in a troubling trend of reprisals against Arabs in the United States.

The initial death toll reported by our press, based on estimates from American sources, ranged from approximately 10,000 to 20,000 people. Such a staggering loss of life is truly horrifying. However, as time passed, the number of reported missing persons gradually decreased. It raises questions about the initial reporting—was it done carelessly to generate interest or sensationalism, or was it simply due to the inherent uncertainty of the situation? Nevertheless, discussing loss of life requires utmost caution and should never be sensationalized. Each individual life is immensely valuable, and the scale of this tragedy should not be reduced to numbers.

As I read the newspaper, I couldn't help but reflect on the dire circumstances of Afghanistan, chosen by the United States as a target in its "anti-terrorism" campaign. This impoverished nation, already suffering from poverty and the harsh rule of the Taliban, was in desperate need of assistance from affluent countries. Instead, it is now on the brink of facing airstrikes and bombings. Is the world not moved by the plight of a marginalized and impoverished nation like Afghanistan? It ranks among the four poorest countries globally, and a three-year drought has decimated its arable land, leaving only 12% of it suitable for cultivation. Farmers have lost their livelihoods, facing unemployment and food scarcity. Poverty and disease have reduced the life expectancy of Afghan citizens to a mere 43 years, with one in four children succumbing to preventable diseases before the age of five. With the impending bombardment by the U.S. and its allies, one can only imagine how much more suffering will be inflicted upon the Afghan people. My astonishment is further compounded by the newspapers that seem to "objectively" endorse America's retaliation. Such reports have led to a surge in newspaper circulation, with some doubling their usual sales or even more. People are photographing articles about the impending war and scouring the internet for war-related information to sell on the streets. On the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, at twilight, I witnessed groups of young men and women hawking news articles and information sheets about the U.S.-Afghan situation to individuals seeking information. I implore the media to be more responsible when dealing with matters of human life and to exercise caution when covering global crises.

Today, wars are initiated with alarming speed and simplicity. In the past, when France contemplated invading Vietnam, it took them a century of exploration, missionary work, and trade to set the stage. Similarly, when the United States considered military intervention in Vietnam, it spanned decades, marked by gradual changes in strategy. Yet now, in the blink of an eye, just a few days and a few declarations of terrorism are enough for the U.S. to declare full-scale war on a nation. The pace of modern times is truly unsettling. When making significant policy decisions such as launching an attack on a country, the U.S. acts with such haste that there is hardly any time for implementation (as evidenced by the confusion within the Pentagon regarding attack plans, as reported by Nhan Dan Newspaper on September 25). America has effectively seized time, leveraging the influx of favorable information to advance its global dominance agenda. However, the world continues to recognize the underlying issue: "Terrorism cannot be eradicated as long as oppression persists," as articulated by Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad. He cautions against innocent countries becoming casualties in the U.S.-led hunt for terrorists and emphasizes that combating terrorism solely with weapons will not provide a comprehensive solution as long as the root causes of oppression endure. According to him, it is high time for the international community to address the underlying issues that drive people to resort to terrorism. "We must put an end to the oppression faced by the people of Palestine, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere," he stressed (Nhan Dan Newspaper, September 25).