9/11, A Remembrance

On this solemn day, two decades since a band of terrorists targeted the American homeland, JINSA remembers the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001 – and honors all of those who perished in the attacks, as well as the first-responders that day, and those policymakers and members of our military and intelligence services who have dedicated their lives—and many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice—to keep America safe ever since.

The past 20 years have brought victories in the global war on terror triggered by Sept. 11, but also illustrated the struggles that remain to defeat Islamic extremists who would use civilian airplanes as weapons to murder thousands of innocent men, women, and children. The recent U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan highlighted in disastrous relief that the war is not over, the enemies responsible for 9/11 not nearly subdued.

The danger of Islamic extremism – and the need to fight both individual perpetrators and the organizations and regimes that support them – remains an urgent national priority. JINSA strongly supports this mission and the brave men and women of our military and law enforcement agencies in all of their work.

And so, we pause today to mark this sacred anniversary, to mourn those who were lost, and to thank U.S. service members for their sacrifice in protecting the homeland these past 20 years. Their service has delivered to our nation the gift of relative security and normalcy that many feared America might never again experience after the awful events of that clear September morning in 2001. They are heroes, all.