Never Forget

It hardly seems that 9/11 could've happened six years ago. I'll never forget where I was, what I was doing, and who was with me. How could I? This has been one of the defining events of my adulthood.

A lot of people will post different things today, their thoughts and perceptions of where we've been, where we are, and where we're going. A lot of people focus on the tragedy of the Twin Towers ... to this day seeing old movies where they're in even the shortest big of footage makes me take in a sharp breath.

But don't forget the Pentagon.

In today's email from GOPUSA.com, Bobby Eberle gives us his take on it.

Following the attacks of that day, it seemed as if those who were lost worked to bring us together. Republican and Democrat joined hands and pledged to fight against the terrorism which struck on that day. New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani earned the respect of all Americans, not only for his actions during the attacks, but afterward as he attended funeral after funeral after funeral. His presence at the 9-11 remembrances helped bring calm and peace to those still grieving the loss of loved ones.

But here we are in 2007, and so much has changed... for the worse....

...

Now, the war on terror has taken us to Iraq, and regardless of whether you think we should have gone there in the first place or not, one thing is clear: al Qaeda is helping lead the insurgency and is using Iraq as a central point to rally anti-American and anti-Western sentiment. We must succeed in Iraq.

However, the Democrats and far left organizations no longer seem interested in winning but rather in using the troubles in Iraq as a way to win elections. The much anticipated report on Iraq by Gen. David Petraeus was attacked before the General even spoke a word. As noted in the Wall Street Journal, the Democrats have "now normalized the practice of accusing their opponents of lying. If other members of the Democratic Party don't move quickly to repudiate this turn, the ability of the U.S. political system to function will be impaired in a way no one would wish for."

...

It is important to remember the events of September 11, 2001 in their proper context. It was not an attack on Democrats nor Republicans, it was an attack on America. Have those on the far left really forgotten so quickly? The only way to defeat al Qaeda is to have a united front and go after them with everything we have. They will not stop, and neither can we.

On this day, let us remember those events which have redirected our country -- events which brought terrorism to our shores in a way never seen before.

To remember those who were lost that day, I invite you to watch GOPUSA's 2001: A Year in Review . In music and pictures, we can all remember those who were lost. We can remember why we are fighting and who the real enemy is. Can someone please tell that to Harry Reid and MoveOn.org?

Further, in remembrance of those that died in the tragedy that is and was September 11, 2001 I'm posting the enter article Mr. Eberle originally posted on September 12, 2001. He has a unique perspective on this, as he was stuck in traffic directly outside the Pentagon when Flight 77 hit it.

Eyewitness to Tragedy
By Bobby Eberle
September 12, 2001

Although I live in Houston, Texas, I'm writing this column from an apartment in the Washington, DC area. I was here to attend the American Conservative Union's Policy Boot Camp.

I thought I would leave filled with the excitement of hearing from policy experts on numerous topics ranging from social security and medicare to education and technology. Unfortunately, what I take with me is a permanent image of terror and tragedy which is burned into my mind: an image of a passenger airliner, flying low and fast, and headed straight for the Pentagon.

On Tuesday morning, September 11, I was running late for my morning session. The television was on, and at about 9:00 am, we saw a report that an aircraft had struck one of the towers of the World Trade Center. My initial thought was, "Wow, what a freak accident." With that, my friend with whom I am staying and I were out the door.

We set out in the car and immediately turned on the news radio to follow what was happening in New York City. After fifteen minutes into our trip, a new report came over the radio stating that a second aircraft (another passenger airliner) had struck the World Trade Center. This time, my thoughts shifted immediately from a freak accident to "this is a terrorist attack."

My heart sank as I began to realize what was happening: those killed in the aircraft, those killed in the buildings, and the horror of the realization that this could happen in the first place.

The route from where I'm staying to my conference hotel runs right by the Pentagon. As we slowly crept along in traffic at about 9:30 am, we rounded a bend and had the Pentagon in our sites -- right in front of us. We continued to listen to the radio to take in the latest news on what was happening.

Riding in a convertable with the top down, I then heard a tremendously loud noise from behind me and to my left. I looked back and saw a jet airliner flying very low and very fast. It's amazing what can run through your mind in just a matter of seconds. As a pilot, I can't help but look at an airplane and think about airplane topics. What I saw sent a shiver down my spine as I realized something was not right.

The aircraft was so very low -- as an aircraft would be on its final approach to an airport. However, if you have watched any aircraft come in for a landing, even though the aircraft is descending, it is angled up slightly. This aircraft was angled downward. In addition, landing gear would also be visible on a aircraft so low and so near landing. This aircraft had its landing gear retracted. Finally, an aircraft on final approach is traveling rather slowly. This aircraft sped by very loudly and very quickly.

All of this flashed in my mind as the aircraft passed from behind my left shoulder to in front of me. It was then that the other events of the morning crystallized in the realization that tragedy was about to occur. With all of these images spinning in my head, the only words that came out of my mouth were "Oh no!"

With that, the airliner crashed into the Pentagon and exploded.

I shouted to my friend whose view was partially blocked by a truck in front of us, "Oh my gosh! The jet just hit the Pentagon!"

Much of the traffic stopped immediately, and the stunned looks on people's faces are unforgettable. Many picked up their cell phones, presumably to contact friends and loved ones. I did the same, but I could not get through...

--------------------------

The events of September 11, 2001 are being compared to Pearl Harbor. However, there are tragic and frightening differences. First, when all the lost souls are counted, the death toll will be thousands and thousands higher than Pearl Harbor. Second, with Pearl Harbor, we knew exactly who hit us, and we could plan our counter attack. In this case, who do we attack? Where do we attack?

This is the time for America to come together with a united front and send a message to the world that if you attack America, if you cause terror and rip into our democracy, then the United States of America, with all its might, will hunt you down.

My heart goes out to all who were lost in New York, Washington, DC, and Pennsylvania. I can't imagine what was going through the minds of the approximately 60 people who were on the flight that flew right by me.

I ask all of you to pray for those lost souls, our leaders, and for the United States of America.

Lest we forget...

Comments

[JustaDog]

Liberal media thinks America should move on, that there has been enough attention to 9/11. Also, ever notice how media, Democrat presidential candidates, and most other modern "Progressive Democrat" will go out of their way to make sure the words "terrorist" and "Muslim" are never in the same sentence?

Until that link is acknowledge and we stop with the sensitivity training sessions towards Muslims, stop the foot baths and public Muslim schools at tax payers expense, and stop catering and bending over backwards to appease this cult - no one will be safe.

JMHO

[Gullyborg]

Liberal media wants us to "move on" because they know damn well that next year, 9/11 will occur less than 2 months before the most important Presidential election in history -- they want to set a clear precedent now for blowing off coverage of the day's events then.