Joe Reflects on the Last Six Years

This will be an interesting few days and I hope all of you will keep an eye on the national news. Today and tomorrow, General David Petraeus will deliver a report to Congress on the progress of the war in Iraq. Some Congressmen are expecting his news to be positive as it relates to the military success of the troop surge and those vested in defeat are already questioning his character. I hope you will listen on your own and make informed opinions, but make no mistake: there are many in this Congress whose political futures rely on our defeat, not victory, in Iraq. Also remember that debate on the war is a positive function of our Constitutional Republic, but their can be no wavering in the support of our troops when they are in harm’s way.
It’s hard to look at the calendar this morning and not think about the date tomorrow. None of us can ever look at the date September 11 again without thinking of the tragic events of that day. But today, I’d like to take a minute not to focus on the tragedy, but on the resolve that was shown by the American people in the aftermath.
The terrorists who boarded those planes that September morning had a vision of what America would be like following their deadly mission. They envisioned a nation that would be fractured and weak. They pictured a nation whose spirit would be broken by an attack on America soil. That was a major flaw in their plan and in fact, some learned it even before their deaths.
The terrorists who took control of flight 93 that September morning had never expected average citizens to rise from their seats and attempt to retake control of that plane. They expected to fly an airliner into another target in Washington D.C. and bring a nation to their knees. Instead, the plane crashed into remote Pennsylvania farmland, in an ultimate show of American resolve.
The terrorists’ long term mission was a failure. Six years later, we are a nation that flies our flag more often and with more pride. We take moments not only to honor our military that have given the ultimate sacrifice, but we also honor those who are still among us and thank them for their service every time we get the opportunity.
I ask you to remind yourself and others who will inevitably discuss the topic in the next 48 hours that we have not suffered another attack since 9/11. If you remember the days following the attacks, it was a foregone conclusion that we would see more. This is a huge success of the Bush administration that rarely receives a mention.
The War on Terror has not been without its’ problems. (I challenge you to find any war that goes exactly as planned.) It seems many in our nation have slept so comfortably for so many years under the blanket of peace that they have forgotten the realities of war. Unfortunately, loss of life is part of war but it is a sacrifice those who serve understand is a possibility they must deal with on a daily basis.
So as we approach six years since the attacks of 9/11, I ask you to pay your respects to the fallen, but do not forget the aftermath. Focus on the American Spirit that rose from the smoke at the Twin Towers, the Pentagon and on a farm in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Because today, we know more than ever before that the mission of the terrorists who took control of those planes was a failure. Their mission was to break our spirit and I’m proud to say the American spirit has never been stronger.
See you on the campaign trail!
Joe
PS..I'd like to invite any of you in the Kinston area to attend the monthly meeting of the Lenoir County GOP tonight. I have been invited to speak and look forward to seeing many of you there at King’s Restaurant at 7pm.