OpEdNews - Article: 9/11/01 -- Six Years Later

As I am posting this, the house prepares to hear what General Petraeus has to say about Bush's Iraq "war". I can't watch or listen anymore. It appears that Republicans and Democrats alike will choose to be kinder and gentler to those testifying today.

The only problem is that "kinder and gentler" won't end the unnecessary death, bloodshed and destruction in Iraq. Nor will anything the Bush-Cheney administration has incorrectly embarked upon so far make the USA any safer from terrorist attack. And, of course, Bush-Cheney's horribly misguided actions will not bring to justice those who masterminded the 9/11/01 attacks -- fully -- and criminally -- six years later!

God bless the faces of those killed in those horrific attacks on America, and of the US military personnel who follow the flawed orders in trying to settle the uncivil war in Iraq.

(I wrote this. Awhile back I worked in World Trade Center Tower #2. My wife and I also used to work in other parts of lower Manhattan, commuting from Queens. At lunchtime we'd frequently visit the Century 21 department store and other businesses in the WTC concourse. In a strange juxtaposition, we could also see the Towers from the Jamaica Wildlife Preserve, which we used to love to visit in Queens.)

We will not forget the majesty of the World Trade Center reaching into the sky to daily host the tens of thousands of workers and visitors to the southern tip of New York City.

We will not forget the faces who still pop into our minds at any moment of the night or day, faces of those who we knew and worked with side by side, or even just passed on the street, but lost track of over the years, who MIGHT have been killed when the towers were destroyed.

We will not forget the unwitting victims on the planes who, by simply boarding their flights on the morning of 9/11, became part of horrible weapons of mass destruction.

We will not forget those heroes on Flight 93 who lost their lives to ensure that there would not be another weapon of mass destruction delivered to another target.

We will not forget the bravery of the heroes who attempted to bring shocked victims from the burning towers, and to help those horrified masses escaping from the aftermath.

We will not forget those heroes, some in the uniforms of the Bravest and Finest, and some in other uniforms and in street clothes, because they risked their lives, and in too many cases, paid the ultimate price.

We will not forget the faces of Rudolph Guiliani and George Pataki, who showed real, visible leadership, possibly at the risk of their own lives, on 9/11 and the days following.

We will not forget that one of our former employees escaped death, but had to see the woman running on the street next to her struck and killed by falling debris --- or that this woman in her 20s will be forever haunted by the horrific events of 9/11/01.

We will not forget the countless brave members of the United States armed forces who have lost lives and limbs in Afghanistan and Iraq and other distant lands to carry out an alleged "war against terrorism."

We will not forget the majesty of the World Trade Center reaching into the sky to daily host the tens of thousands of workers and visitors to the southern tip of New York City.

We will not forget the faces who still pop into our minds at any moment of the night or day, faces of those who we knew and worked with side by side, or even just passed on the street, but lost track of over the years, who MIGHT have been killed when the towers were destroyed.

We will not forget the face of Osama Bin Laden, who claimed to have masterminded and funded 9/11, and who still enjoys life, freedom and the adoration of his followers and sympathizers.

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