A Day Of Remembrance...
That is the difference between us."
-Osama bin Laden
PATRIOT DAY, 2009
Today, September 11, 2009, marks the 8th anniversary of the attack on the United States - 9/11/01. This day, Patriot Day, was designated by then-President George W. Bush as a day of remembrance for our country. This is a day when we should reflect on the events that occurred on that date nearly a decade ago - the events that launched our country officially into the War on Terror. It is a day when we can, once again, remember nearly the 3,000 people killed in the cowardly attacks on New York City, Washington, D.C. and in the sprawling fields near Shanksville, PA. CNN maintains a web site with the names and photos of those lost souls. The link to that site is over on the right side of this page. Visit it to put faces on this tragedy.
REVISIT MY PREVIOUS POSTS
I've written about those events on that date several times. You can read some of those entries below by clicking on the title:
9/11/01 Remembered - 9/4/05
Putting 9/11/01 in Perspective - 9/10/07
Observing Patriot Day - 9/10/08
STRIDENT VOICES DEMANDING US TO QUIT
Today it is not unusual to hear strident voices beseeching our leaders to extract us from the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan - to walk away from those countries before the job is finished. Some of those voices come from our elected leaders themselves. In my view, that is a huge mistake.
NO MORE DEATHS OR INJURIES, BUT...
I don't want to see another young American killed in foreign lands. I don't want to see any more limbs blown off by Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). None of us do. However, the Middle East is full of people ready, willing and able to attack our country again if given the chance. We need to cut the head off that snake, just as they did to American Nick Berg. We need to find Osama bin Laden and either bring him to justice or martyr him... my preference is the latter.
TAKE SOME TIME TO REFLECT
Please take a few minutes to re-visit my previous comments on this subject and take some time to view the video clips below. Some of the images will be redundant, but they will help you recall the tragedy that befell our country on September 11, 2001 and strengthen your resolve to encourage our leaders to stay the course and finish the job. Don't make the sacrifice of so many young American lives be for nothing. A word of caution - some of the images will be VERY intense.