American resolve and 9/11
By Page W. H. Brousseau IV
TIMES STAFF WRITER
"All experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed."-Declaration of Independence adopted by the Second Continental Congress.
Our country and world were forever changed on 9-11-01. But how so will be answered on how we respond. The coming years may see American troops fighting in half a dozen countries across every ocean. We may see military expenditures approach mid 1980's levels, reinstatement of the draft and a greater investigational power given to the federal government. Is all of this worth it? And what is "it" exactly?
Those who hijacked our planes, along with those who supported and assisted them, aimed to destroy our economy, our military, our Congress, our President and our will to resist. They succeed in ruining our economy, costing us trillions of dollars in rebuilding, investment, a near collapse of the airline industry, layoffs, and the economic out put of those thousands who died.
The 6,000 plus who were lost were merely numbers and the brain trusts of many financial institutions to those who did this, not fathers, mothers, sons, daughters or friends to those who survived.
Our nation's military leadership was hit, but fortunately, the plane hit a side of the Pentagon that was closed for remodeling and had been reinforced to protect against terrorist attack.
Even though 189 died there, the numbers could have been much worse, and seeing as how that plane flew over the White House, in an attempt to locate it, our county's most famous residence and government building could have been destroyed. When the heroes of Flight 93 confronted their attackers the Capitol Building was saved, but at the cost of 45 lives
Those who refused to believe these were acts of war and not terror are fools seeking a paradise. There is a segment of society that could have their house burned down, children killed
and refuse to act. Fortunately, that segment is about 10% in the latest polls.
Those who had a hand in the events of 9-11 live not only in the desert of Afghanistan but also in Iraq, The Sudan, Syria, Somalia,
se Iran and the Israeli occupied
areas.
Anywhere governments refuse to eliminate and disassociate themselves from
evil they become willing allies of those who wage war against the United States.
When President George
W. Bush said, "Freedom and id fear are at war," he was stating the truth about the United States, the past century has proven our resolve. American and allied blood, might and determination ended the Nazi and Imperial Japanese regimes Communism is withering and in its final death throes, only supported by a weakening force and hollow indoctrination.
Freedom's enemies illegitimately use the name of Allah to conduct a campaign of terror form Moscow to Jerusalem.
Now the non-democratic Islamic governments of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia find they are not immune, and former regimes hostile to the United States are beginning to realize this is not East verses West but right verses wrong and colored in black and white as it has never been.
Once we begin to strike back the possibility of another attack on American soil is increased. Car bombs, suicidal bombers in shopping centers or movie theaters or a release of chemical toxin in a crowded subway maybe all ready in the planning stages.
The foreign agents operating in the United States, Mexico and Canada who had a hand in the 9-11 attacks may number in the hundreds. Once cut off from orders overseas, they may lash out in a last ditch effort to kill and maim as many Americans as they can.
The one truth of this war is this: they will fight like cowards and we will fight like soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, and that is why we will prevail. To be scared of what may happen and not act is a reluctant permit to allow the terrorist to carry out their will.
The second and third wave of attacks on United States soil may all ready be in the planning stages. Those who spout a "wait and see" attitude fail to realize the severity of our circumstance. Those who wish for a negotiated settlement need to ask Israel what negotiations lead to. Those who ask for justice
in an international court need to ask the Kosovo Muslim population what saved more lives, bombs from America or indictments from The Hague.
If we allow Osama bin Laden, and those who idealize him to prevail we will never be secure. If we recoil because the fear of "another bin Laden" we capitulate to his demands. And then we insure a greater role for him on the international stage.
When London was being blitzed the thought of creating "another Hitler" was non-existent as such ill- -informed thoughts should be now.
This is a fight for survival, theirs or ours, not a case of America looking for an excuse to display the latest in military gadgetry.
In ships and bases throughout the world the men and women of our armed forces are preparing for their new undertaking. They know the cost of Freedom and Liberty and for the first time in sixty years the American public understands the price we pay when we ignore the strains that others put on Freedom and Liberty.
America now stands united with nearly every other country in the world against the evil that perpetrated the attacks on 9-11. If we do not seize this opportunity, if we do not end evil's time on earth, the United States is unfit to carry the torch of Freedom, Liberty and Justice.
But one need only to look to President George W. -Bush for inspiration, "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." Woe to our enemies, and God bless the Union.
© The Michigan Times 2001
