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September 8, 2004

Gary D. Keenan
Vancouver, B.C.

Letters editor,
The Vancouver Sun

Dear editor

Re: Guest Editorial, "In the global war, Islam isn't
the enemy; Islamism is," Sept. 3.

The Ottawa Citizen guest editorial's contention that
al-Qaida hates the U.S. "because of what it is -
namely, a capitalist democracy that embraces religious
freedom, women's rights and MTV" rather than "because
of its foreign policy" was rejected by the U.S.
Senate's 9/11 Commission. 

In its recently released report the commission
declares that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the
"mastermind of the 9/11 attacks" and concludes that
his "animus toward the United States stemmed not from
his experiences there as a student, but rather from
his violent disagreement with U.S. foreign policy
favoring Israel."  

Yours sincerely,

Gary D. Keenan
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