Opinion Pieces

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 - FIFTH ANNIVERSARY COMMEMORATION
by U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires, a.i., Stephen Schwartz

September 8, 2006

Monday marks the fifth anniversary of the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.  We remember the horrible visions of watching planes fly into the World Trade Center and seeing the towers collapse before our eyes.  We remember the sight of the Pentagon broken and in flames.  We remember the brave passengers who charged the cockpit of their hijacked plane and stopped the terrorists from reaching their target and killing more innocent civilians. 

The victims of September 11th were citizens of more than 90 different countries and adherents of many faiths, including Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism and Islam.  Terrorism affects all of us.  It has brought tragedy, destruction, death and terrible grief to innocent people across the world, from Indonesia to Morocco, Spain, Jordan, United Kingdom, India and Egypt.  Since Osama Bin Laden declared war on America ten years ago, thousands of people of many nations, religions, races and beliefs have been murdered pointlessly as a result of his instigation or incitement of acts of terror.

Terrorist attacks against the United States and our friends and allies began long before we acted to remove the Taliban regime, which was harboring al Qaeda in Afghanistan, or to remove Saddam Hussein's brutal regime from power in Iraq. The terrorists, such as those who were
responsible for September 11 and those who were behind the most recent mass murder plot targeting airplanes flying between the United Kingdom and the United States, and the July attacks on trains in India, have long targeted innocent people. Al-Qaeda and its associates want to impose a Taliban-like tyrannical regime on the many proud and sovereign nations of the Islamic world, and they have nothing but intolerance for all those who do not share their extremist beliefs.

Through the indiscriminate killing of innocent people, they have repeatedly shown their contempt for human life, regardless of race, ethnicity or religion. We saw the type of society they seek in the former Taliban rule of Afghanistan, when little girls were not allowed to go to school, women were not allowed to work, music banned, and cultural and historical icons were destroyed.

The fight against terrorism is a concerted fight for values and principles that are universal.  Much more unites the citizens of the world than divides them. Across all borders, we share a common humanity.  While the color of our skin, the language we speak, or the way we worship may be different, people everywhere aspire to speak their minds, participate in their society, worship freely, live in security, and pursue education, jobs and greater opportunities for their families.

As we look back on the events of September 11, 2001, we must also look forward.  Americans seek to work in a spirit of partnership with all people of all nations across the world to confront this ideology of hate and work together to foster a climate of hope, peace, and opportunity.  America is far from perfect, yet we believe the ideals of freedom and justice that guide us are widely shared by people throughout the world.  We want to work with nations throughout the world in ways that will result in a more peaceful and prosperous world, and a better life for people everywhere.  In memory of those who lost their lives that tragic day, we renew our commitment to our founding conviction that all people are equal and equally deserving of justice, respect, opportunity and dignity.