Have They Forgotten?

Dear Friends,

The 9/11 attack on our homeland was the defining moment for our nation in this new century, just as Pearl Harbor was the defining moment of the last one. The only difference is that we remembered Pearl Harbor daily for 5 years, while it seems that 9/11 has already been forgotten.

"...we remembered Pearl Harbor daily for 5 years, while it seems that 9/11 has already been forgotten."

President Bush immediately grasped the significance of that brutal attack and understood that the resulting War on Terrorism would be a new kind of global war. Of the last 5 Presidents, George W. Bush is the first who understood the high stakes and responded.

Bush has been relentless in engaging terrorism—he has already...

crippled Al Qaida
transformed our defenses and intelligence operations
established Homeland Security
freed Afghanistan from the Taliban
and liberated Iraq from Saddam

Freedom is on the march in Afghanistan and Iraq. Who would have thought a year ago there would be democratic elections in these two countries. Regrettably, there is a high cost for freedom, and it has always been so. In his inaugural address John F. Kennedy, put it this way...

"Regrettably, there is a high cost for
freedom, and it has always been so."

"In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. . . . The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world."

Here at home, one cannot thank enough that noble military vanguard (heroes all) who have served and are serving in the Mid-East who are not only enhancing our own security here at home, but are bringing freedom, democracy, and peace to people who have so recently lived under oppressors.

At the very least, as our troops fight for freedom on the battlefield, we must do all that we can to reach out to those at home who seem to have forgotten that fateful day that changed our world forever.

"At the very least, as our troops fight for freedom on the battlefield, we must do all that we can to reach out to those at home..."

We must all remind our friends and neighbors how bleak our future looked a mere 3 years ago, how far freedom has come abroad, and how safe we have been at home.

We must remind them that this is all because our President has not forgotten 9/11, and for the sake of our country's future, neither can we.

J.C. Petrone
Col, USA (Ret'd)