September 11th, 2001

September 11th, 2001 was a terrible day for America. As we all know, it was the largest single attack on the American Homeland that ever took place. Thousands of innocent people were murdered on that day. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters were taken from us – all innocent victims of a radical extremist plan, hatched, planned, and executed under the direction of terrorists 7,000 miles away from our shores. And it wasn't “some people who did something.”

We should never forget those who perished and we should always honor their memory. And yes, we should never forget the pain and shock, the horror of the images that have forever been seared into the collective psyche of all Americans.

“Yes, it was the worst terrorist attack to ever take place on American soil, but we must also understand that it was just a warning. As bad as the attacks were on September 11th, 2001, we must realize that if those who orchestrated these terrorist attacks had had nuclear weapons at their disposal, they would have used them without a second thought.”

Our military efforts in Afghanistan over the last 20 years culminated in the killing of Osama bin Laden and the dismantling of the apparatus that facilitated the attacks under his orders.  “We got him,” and it made the headlines.

We may have gotten “him” but we didn't get the ideology that created him, and all of the like minded perpetrators who applauded those dastardly deeds. Our efforts in Afghanistan, along with numerous other operations, gave us 20 years without further successful attacks. Thank our military and clandestine services for that. But you have to be aware that there have been many other attempts to attack our Homeland that were thwarted before completion. And because those efforts didn't make the headlines, most Americans are woefully unaware of the number of them that could have taken place.

Our presence in Afghanistan was justified by the 20 years of security that it provided for us, the American people, who I pray will never see another day like September 11th, 2001. However, the ideas of their radical extremism and the hatred for America and the belief that our way of life must be destroyed, has not been eradicated. It has not been beaten and it has not gone away. And now, as of our complete withdrawal from the very place where those evil schemes were hatched, those same radical religious ideologies are now given fertile soil to begin again.

Yes, we must never ever forget, but  just remembering is not going to prevent it from happening again. September 11th, 2001 was a terrible day for those who were murdered and for all Americans, but in the words of New York Yankee, Yogi Berra, “It ain't over till it's over.” He was right, and I fear that it will be a long time until it's finally over.

- Ernest Emerson

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