This Sunday, September 11, marks the 15th anniversary of one of the most tragic days in the history of the United States. On that fateful day, terrorists staged attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and were only prevented from completing another attack by the heroism of the passengers on United Flight 93. The images of that day are forever imprinted on our memories.
The events of that day also revealed the character of ordinary American citizens who demonstrated their courage and willingness to sacrifice for their fellow men and women. Who can forget the first responders who dashed into buildings on the verge of collapse, the service members who rescued the burned and injured in the Pentagon, or the passengers who fought to take control of their doomed plane over Pennsylvania?
Sadly, tragic events throughout the world have shown the ongoing horrific impact of terrorism in Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, France, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Belgium, among many other countries. Far too many families around the globe have experienced pain and loss as a result of terrorism. It is clear that we all must stand together and work to defeat this scourge.
As we recall the events fifteen years ago, let us renew our commitment to do all that we can, wherever we may be, to honor the victims of those attacks, as well as the others who have been harmed by terrorism in the years since September 11, 2001. We must defeat terrorists and all that they represent, and at the same time work tirelessly to promote dialogue, peace, and reconciliation in order to resolve the complex problems that we face in an interdependent world.
