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We turned our pain and anger into purpose
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland delivered the following speech this morning at the Coweta County Sept. 11 Tribute: 9-11-07 Blessed nation that we are, there are only a few days in our nation's history that will live in infamy. But today marks the fifth anniversary of one of those tragic days. We gather here today for many purposes as a community: to remember, to reflect and also to rally our resolve to continue the fight against those who seek our destruction. Our nation and, indeed, the world have been forever changed by the horrific events of that Tuesday morning on a beautiful September day in 2001. That day forced major changes for Americans. For our government, it altered our domestic security policies, and it brought forth the Bush Doctrine of pre-emptive action in our foreign policy. But it also touched our every day lives, not only at airports but also at our workplaces. A nation that had long enjoyed "freedom from fear" now had reason to "fear its freedom." As Americans, we grieved our losses, but we did not cower. Instead, we turned our pain and anger into purpose; we united with resolve to bring our enemies to justice. We sent a message to terrorists all over the world and to the regimes that harbor them that an attack on our nation would be met with overwhelming force. Today, we remember the deaths of innocents and we remember the deaths of heroes. Most who died on Sept. 11, 2001, were bystanders going about their daily lives, taking a flight, doing their jobs. Others died as heroes, giving their lives so that others may live. Americans will forever take pride in the courageous and selfless actions of the passengers of United Flight 93. Their deaths in a Pennsylvania field saved the lives of an untold number in our nation's capital. Perhaps that plane was headed for the majestic dome of the U.S. Capitol. Perhaps it was headed for the White House. We don't know. But we do know that those passengers spared a national treasure near and dear to our nation's citizens, a symbol of our national heritage, our national pride and our sense of identity as Americans. We saw similar courage in the acts of police officers and firefighters in New York City, whose last act on earth was one of compassion. Today, I'm proud to stand with the emergency responders of Coweta County. These brave men and women represent a proud tradition of public service. They stand on the front lines of public safety, putting their lives on the line for the public good. I salute them. On behalf of the people of this county and state of Georgia, I say to our police and fire officials: Thank you! Since Sept. 11, we have steadfastly taken the fight to the terrorists and we have changed our national laws and our attitudes to deal with the reality of the threat that faces us. On Sept. 20, 2001, President Bush addressed a joint session of Congress and the American people. He said: "Great harm has been done to us. We have suffered great loss. And in our grief and anger we have found our mission and our moment. Freedom and fear are at war. The advance of human freedom -- the great achievement of our time, and the great hope of every time -- now depends on us. Our nation -- this generation -- will lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future. We will rally the world to this cause by our efforts, by our courage. We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail." Those last words - we will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail -- hang on a wall in my congressional office in Washington. It's a daily reminder to me of the duty of the Congress to diligently defend the people of this country. The defense of our country has not come without cost; it has not come with consequence; it has not come without sacrifice. Our fight against terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq has cost us dearly in lives and treasure. We mourn and we remember those who gave their lives in the defense of freedom, in the defense of our homeland. The magnificent men and women of our Armed Forces have battled that new and ruthless enemy far from our shores to ensure an attack such as Sept. 11 never happens on our shores again. And as they have fought in this Global War on Terror, our military men and women have enabled some momentous transformations - including the liberation of some 50 million people from tyranny. In Afghanistan, Operation Enduring Freedom has removed the totalitarian Taliban that ruled the Afghan people with barbaric brutality and enabled the Afghan people to vote in landmark elections that have given them their first representative government in decades. Early on, President Bush promised that al-Qaida's top operatives would be hunted down and brought to justice. We captured many of them, including Khalid Sheik Muhammed, the mastermind behind the Sept. 11 attacks. We have not yet captured or killed Osama bin Laden, but the search continues and we will not rest until his Judgment Day comes. In Iraq, we continue to make progress after ousting a dictator who was responsible for atrocious acts and the mass murders of his own citizens. In a series of historic elections, millions of Iraqis defied the threats of terrorists and voted to establish a unified national assembly that is representative of the diverse ethnicities and religions across Iraq. While much remains to be done as Iraq rebuilds its infrastructure and increasingly becomes responsible for its security, it is clear that the global community must continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with innocent Iraqi citizens and remain resolute against those who want to cast Iraq into civil war. Five years after Sept. 11, we no longer have the glowing embers of wreckage to remind us of the impacts and explosions. The twisted beams and mangled metal have been removed from Ground Zero. But as the recent arrests in Great Britain illustrate, terrorists remain as committed as ever to launching another attack against us and our interests. It's not a question of "if" but rather "when." We might do well to recall that the terrorists waited seven years before attacking the World Trade Center for the second time - a time during which they planned and practiced as they lived among us, exploiting our liberties. And so, as we mark this somber anniversary of the attacks, we must recommit ourselves not only to the fight against terror but also the battle against complacency. While the horrors of that September day may have faded with time, the threat to our citizens, our country, our economic institutions and our way of life is no less real today than it was five years ago. We must continue to remain engaged in the Global War on Terror to ensure that the terrorists no longer have the tools, resources or ability to attack us again. This includes bringing terrorists such as Khalid Sheik Muhammed - one of the masterminds of 9/11 - to justice so that he will never plot against innocent citizens again. This includes ensuring that our borders are no longer porous, but secure. This includes initiatives that help to protect us even as they protect our civil liberties. Finally, this includes supporting our men and women in uniform who hunt terrorism in all corners of the globe. It is their sacrifices that help secure the freedoms we cherish and bring freedom to those who have been shackled by despots and oppressive regimes. And it's their fighting spirit that continues to resonate in our hearts and minds on this anniversary. We have confronted many challenges. We have changed and we have sacrificed. Today, let us remember those we have lost. And then let us resolve that we will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail.
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