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WASHINGTON — The White House has issued detailed guidelines to government officials on how to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, with instructions to honor the memory of those who died on American soil >>>The guidelines list what themes to underscore — and, just as important, what tone to set. >>>“A chief goal of our communications is to present a positive, forward-looking narrative,†the foreign guidelines state.Copies of the internal documents were provided to The New York Times by officials in several agencies involved in planning the anniversary commemorations. “The important theme is to show the world how much we realize that 9/11 — the attacks themselves and violent extremism writ large — is not ‘just about us,’ †said one official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal White House planning. >>>That may be, but some American counterterrorism and intelligence officials are complaining that the White House missed out on tying together the 10th anniversary with recently announced strategies to combat terrorism and violent extremism into a more coherent, longer-term plan. “They don’t do that kind of long-term planning,†said a senior counterterrorism official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid disciplinary measures from the White House. >>>At the same time, Obama administration officials caution that public commemorations here should not cast the United States as the sole victim of terrorism >>>Some senior administration officials involved in the discussions noted that the tone set on this Sept. 11 should be shaped by a recognition that the outpouring of worldwide support for the United States in the weeks after the attacks turned to anger at some American policies adopted in the name of fighting terror — on detention, on interrogation, and the decision to invade Iraq. >>>The death of Osama bin Laden was viewed as reason for officials to “minimize references to Al Qaeda.†>>>The guidelines say the absence of Al Qaeda playing any significant role in the “Arab Spring†uprisings against longtime autocrats in the Middle East and North Africa should be cited as evidence that Bin Laden’s organization “represents the past,†while peaceful street protesters in Egypt and Tunisia “represent the future.†Left unsaid was that many of the deposed leaders were close American allies and partners in counterterrorism operations.
That may be, but some American counterterrorism and intelligence officials are complaining that the White House missed out on tying together the 10th anniversary with recently announced strategies to combat terrorism and violent extremism into a more coherent, longer-term plan.
