Commentaries
September 11 Remembered
September 11, 2004
Three years ago today, the world witnessed an unprecedented attack on the civilized world. The attacks of 9/11 shocked men and women everywhere, and images from that day remain etched in the minds of all of us who saw them. On that dreadful day, al-Qaida's hijack crews stole the future from nearly 3000 innocent people, devastating the lives of their families and friends. On this day, we want to honor the victims, and to pray for their families and loved ones who are still struggling with their loss, left only with memories.
We should all be mindful that Singapore itself could have had its own 9/11 experience, suffering a series of deadly terrorist assaults in December 2001, but for the effectiveness and vigilance of its security officials. Americans are well aware that terrorism was not invented on September 11, and that far too many countries around the world have endured terrorist attacks for decades and even centuries. Thursday's bomb blast in Jakarta, last week's cold blooded killings of children in Russia, the recent kidnapping of two French journalists and savage murder of Nepalese workers in Iraq, are grim reminders that terrorism is an international curse of tragic proportions. It's obvious that today's terrorists intend to strike far and wide, to the limits of their power.
During the past three years, al-Qaida's capabilities have been reduced by relentless international action on the law enforcement, military, intelligence, diplomatic and financial fronts. The United States and Singapore have worked closely and successfully together in this common fight. Al-Qaida's desire to kill on a massive scale remains unchanged, and this danger is increased when outlaw regimes build or acquire weapons of mass destruction and maintain ties to terrorist groups. We are not out of harm's way yet, and must all resolve to face these new threats head on, rather than to just ignore them or simply wait for future attacks.
International efforts to defeat the terrorists serve to provide the global security upon which free, peaceful nations can advance their social, cultural and economic development goals. In democratic and successful societies, men and women do not adopt mass murder as a national policy; they turn their hearts and minds to building better lives for themselves and for their families through education and hard work. Democratic governments do not shelter terrorist camps or kill innocent men, women, and children. Rather, they raise their citizens up, expending their energies and resources on fostering the rule of law and seeking expanded opportunities for trade and other exchanges.
Americans will join people around the world today to pause and recall the horrific events and heroic actions we associate with the September 11 attacks. What I will always remember with deep gratitude and great admiration is the spontaneous outpouring of shock, sorrow and solidarity that Singaporeans showed Americans living here in the wake of these attacks. On the third anniversary of that sad day, I thank you for this memory.
Frank Lavin
U.S. Ambassador
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