Many memorials have been held across the US to commemorate the victims of the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York five years ago.

The terrorist attacks caused serious losses for the US, leading to a global “war on terrorism” launched by President Bush. During the past five years, the anti-terrorist forces of the US and its allies have achieved certain results. Their achievements are undeniable but have made American people even more worried.

The 9/11 attacks not only left nearly 3,000 people dead and around 6,000 others injured but, even worse, caused a greater loss of confidence in safety on US soil. The collapse of the US twin towers of the World Trade Centre marked an end to the confidence that the US with its powerful military strength and modern security and intelligence system would never suffer “terror” disasters. So it is easy to understand why after the shock, American people readily supported and placed much hope on the costly anti-terrorist campaign launched by the US administration.

After five years, however, most American people have now felt angry and disappointed. A recent poll showed the US leader suffered a great loss of public support, and most American people were not sure whether they could have a feeling of safety in their country. Instead, if not exaggerated, they seemed all the more fearful and worried than before.

There are many reasons behind that. Some analysts like to compare it to a battle between one side standing in the light and the other side hiding in mysterious darkness. Truly, no anti-terrorist forces can say for sure whether the leader of the international terrorist organisation, Osama bin Laden, is still alive or dead and where he is hiding if he is alive. Therefore, each time videos and statements released by Bin Laden and his accomplices were broadcast or uploaded on the Internet, they gave US authorities a headache and raised deep concerns among American people.

In fact, what has made American people as well as the world public gradually lose their   confidence and even oppose the US administration is President Bush’s own intentions under the cover of anti-terrorism.

It seems the US administration has capitalised on American people’s desire to avenge themselves after September 11 on figures, organisations and nations seen as a thorn in their side.

The danger of “the Bush Doctrine” is that instead of waiting for following attacks Americans would pre-strike enemies, not only Al Qaeda but any organisation or nation which has sponsored or provided weapons for terrorists. More dangerously, US attacks could be launched without needing clear evidence of that organisation or that nation having links with terrorists. The US-led war against Iraq in March 2003 was a case in point.

Just three days ago, the US Senate’s Intelligence Committee released a report saying that there was no evidence of formal links between former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Al Qaeda leaders prior to the 2003 war. The report also concluded that there was no foundation to say that Iraq wanted to resume its nuclear programmes, possessed bio-weapons or developed mobile units to produce bio-poisons. This information did not surprise the world public but only proved that the US-led war against Iraq was purposely assumed to be anti-terrorist.

The excessive abuse of the war on terrorism could also be seen through a host of scandals inside and outside the US administration.

More seriously, the US President has exceeded his constitutional rights by allowing security and intelligence agencies to bug phone calls, secretly check emails and personal accounts and violate the privacies of thousands of American people.

The US has illegally detained many prisoners in Guantanamo prison for years without trial and has transported prisoners on secrete flights over European territories. In addition, the US administration’s open support for Israel in its conflicts with the allegedly terrorist organisations in the Middle East such as Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon as well as its increasing   pressure on the Islamic world aim to serve its own purpose rather than the global war on terrorism.