Tony Bennett fought in World War II and this is what he told Howard Stern about the experience: "“The first time I saw a dead German, that’s when I became a pacifist.”
The result of that pacificism is Bennet seeing good and evil through a prism of anti-violence.
This is what he had to say about 9-11: "“To start a war in Iraq was a tremendous, tremendous mistake internationally. "
"But who are the terrorists? Are we the terrorists or are they the terrorists? Two wrongs don’t make a right. They flew the plane in, but we caused it because we were bombing them and they told us to stop.”
The following day Tony was backpedalling fast: on FB "There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world."
OK, let's start with the obvious. being anti-war is like being anti-death. We are violent animals and the tethers of civiliztion are loose upon us.
So, Bennett being a pacifist is fine but so what.
If he is a pacificist his comments are in keeping with his beliefs. And, this is important, freedom is ALWAYS the freedom to dissent. Bennett has every right in the world, both morally and as a patriot to question whether 9-11 was a response to US aggression.
My feeling is as follows: when it comes to war you better support the side you are on, moral equivalency will get you nowhere. But that's what I think. Beennett sees war as wrong as such and that if you want to bomb innocent people in foreign lands, don't be surprised when they come back after you. In it is a response to 9-11 based upon Universal peace.
Needless to say the fall out was fast and hard and the way it came out (because it was what he meant) was to say, hey, those 3000 people who died? They are the casualties of a war the US started. Of course, he had to back pedal and he did. Which is a shame because Bennett's belief's are his business and not our and he shouldn't feel obliged to change them.