Six years ago. Does it seem that long? I set my watch alarm this morning to go off at the moment the first plane slammed into the World Trade Center six years ago. I was in the middle of a lecture on Texas Government and our formation of our Texas Constitution(riveting stuff), when my alarm went off, startling me and the class. Then, when I explained what the alarm was for, a very somber mood came over the classroom. To think that this morning, we were all going about our lives, in relative normalcy, not stopping to think about 9/11. The beeping of my watch reminded us how quickly our world changed six years ago.
I have read numerous stories of people having 9/11 fatigue. It appears that many people think we have remembered enough. That is tragic. Thankfully, it seems that those students in my class this morning think we should continue to remember 9/11 and those who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attack. But what happened to our unity? To our resolve as a nation to protect us and the world from terrorism?
I believe that Iraq is a front in fighting terrorists. As I have said before, even though a majority of Americans want us to leave Iraq, I have always supported the war and will continue to do so. I have never fought in war, never served in the military, and probably never will. But I thank God for the men and women who have chosen to defend our country and our freedom. I thank God for the 3,700 Americans who have died in the Iraq War. And I am thankful to them for the protection they give us everyday. And I do not wish to see their blood shed in vain. We must succeed in Iraq.
A few months ago, the Congress, Democrats and Republicans, approved General Petraeus to assess the situation in Iraq, the surge, and report back to Congress. Here's the political reality that many don't want to hear: there are people in our country who, for political power reasons, hope we fail in Iraq. At the least, there are people who do not want to see us succeed. Because of that, and because of the fact that the surge has made progress, there are those in the Congress who politically do not want the success of our American troops to be reported. So in the maddening world of American politics, before the four-star general ever took the microphone to give his report, there were congress members attacking the General's character. There were members of Congress, the same ones that sent Gen. Petraeus to Iraq, who say now that no matter what he says, they will not believe him. Here is another political reality in Washington, and why Congress' approval rating lags behind the President's: our Congress is not concerned about fighting Al Qaeda. They are concerned about their own political power. The enemy has become members on the other side of the aisle. The enemy has become a four-star general of the US. The enemy has become Bush and anything he sets out to do.
Are Republicans to blame too? Yes. They have not been honest with the length of time we will be in Iraq. To talk of troop withdrawal next year is naive. It took America 20 years to truly become a stable government after the Revolutionary War. We still have troops in Japan, 60 years after WWII and after Japan is now our friend. It will take Iraq years to become a truly stable government. We will be in Iraq for a long, long time. It is time to be honest about that as well. And it is time to begin to answer the critics' objections to Iraq. A stable, free Iraq is in our country's best interest. A stable, free Iraq will enable the world to fight terrorism effectively.
So today, six years after we were attacked, may we remember. And may we be thankful for those who every day defend our country.
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What a great way to bring the remembrance of 9/11 to your class. Another example of why you are sucj a good teacher.
You ask if Republicans are also responsible. Of course they are. Especially ones like Ron Paul who says all the terrorism would go away if we left Iraq. Of course he's wrong. We weren't in Iraq on 9/11. The excuse is offered that we had troops in Saudi Arabia then. Yes, we did at the Saudi government's request. That's no excuse for a bombing.
Republicans are are responsible who ran for cover from the media by trying to dsitance themselves from Bush on Iraq. All they did was make themselves and their President weaker.
Democrats are the worst! The spout off on Syrian TV that our being in Iraq is an immoral occupation. They vote 100% for Petraeus and the surge plan and the next week declare the surge plan a failure and the war is lost. Even worse, when moveon.org calls him "Betray Us" not peep of condemnation from any Democrat politician for their unwarranted, untruthful personal slander.
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