It’s difficult to believe that seven years have passed since the terrible events of September 11, 2001. In the past seven years, we have not been visited by more attacks of that magnitude. What seemed inevitable seven years ago thankfully never materialized. Al-Qaeda is severely disrupted. Their leadership is scattered, their resources diminished, many of their plans thwarted.
But the real lesson of September 11, 2001 is that we can never be complacent in a world of threats.
Radical Islam is still out there. It still represents a threat not only to the United States, but to the rest of the world. An ideology that is so steeped in hatred cannot be ignored. Sooner or later, we will be hit again—unless we are willing to take action to prevent it.
Seven years ago, it seemed like the world would never be the same. Today, the world seems much more like September 10 than September 12. Yet it is our solemn duty never to forget what happened seven year ago. We owe that responsibility not only to the brave men and women who lost their lives that terrible day, but to ensure that such atrocities are never again allowed to happen.
