Many, if not most, of us recall where we were when the planes hit the twin towers. I was at home. My phone rang and I heard my brother tell me to turn on my TV. I was in complete shock. When the first tower came down, I remember feeling extreme anger. But with no adequate way to express that anger, the tears began to flow. I remember turning to my wife and telling her that it was inevitable that someone that I knew died then.
You see, I grew up just across the river in New Jersey, and attended Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. From the top floor of my dorm (I had the same room for two consecutive years) I was able to see into lower Manhattan. I do not recall if it took 7 or 8 or 9 years for the towers to be completed. My worst fears were realized when I learned that someone that I went all through public school with, and through years of Jewish day camp with in the summers, was murdered that day in the towers. He worked at Cantor Fitzgerald, a firm that occupied the 101st to the 105 floors of One World Trade Center.
After 9/11/2001, and notwithstanding the bitter contest over the 2000 presidential election, the country was united. More united than during any period in my lifetime. The American flag was proudly flown across the country. I remember seeing New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani standing at what came to be known as "ground zero." He truly was, at that moment, America's Mayor. I remember President Bush also speaking to the country from ground zero.
It could not have been more than five years after the attack, when a group of us attorneys in court were discussing the upcoming 9/11 anniversary. I still recall one attorney saying something to this effect: "It's been five years. It's time to get over it already." I was furious. Statements such as that help explain why immediately following the attacks, I made numerous calls to my friends in New Jersey, people who also grew up with our mutual friend who was murdered. We understood each other. Political differences were a none issue. I did not feel that my Southern California friends and neighbors "got it" in the same way.
I remember being so proud of the young men and women who enlisted in the military, and signed up to become part of the FBI and the CIA. The call of patriotism was strong. While Joe Biden did not honor their service, those service members who did not return home did not die in vain. They helped to keep America and the world safe for the last twenty years. I know the refrain - it is not America's job to be the policeman of the world. Except, that has been America's job since the end of World War II. Who else will do it? A Europe weakened by war, and by left-wing ideology?
As one commentator wrote, if we failed to keep troops in Europe, would that continent have fallen to the Soviets? If we failed to keep troops in South Korea, would the North have taken over the South, and even threatened Japan? Before you say "who cares?' think for a moment what the world would be like without the US having a single major ally, with the US being alone in a world of totalitarian dictatorships. Has the US made errors along the way? No doubt. Did Presidents Trump and Obama also want to end US involvement in the Middle East? No doubt.
As I recall, when President Trump removed our 2000 troops from Syria, I wrote in this blog that it was a "bonehead" move. The same for Biden removing our 2500 troops in Afghanistan. Those were non-combat troops who kept stability in Afghanistan. They allowed us to engage in surveillance and counter-terrorism and intelligence gathering. And they facilitated the taking out of bad guys, without worrying about this "over the horizon" nonsense. While the US may never have succeeded in establishing a western style democracy in Afghanistan, that does not mean nothing was accomplished. A generation of Afghans tasted freedom. A generation of Afghan women and girls were able to work, get an education and secure careers.
And now? Women protesters were beaten by the Taliban, who were using sticks and whips on them. You think Biden gives a crap? When Biden was asked by George Stephanopoulos about two Afghans falling to their deaths from a C-17 transport plane, his reply was "that was four days ago, five days ago." It was actually two days prior to that August 19 interview. But so what. That was Biden being Biden. Not the Mr. Nice Guy, an image pushed by his campaign and adopted by the mainstream media, that was always a lie. But the mean-spirited and angry man I have seen so many times on TV.
When Biden gave his speech defending what many across the political spectrum called a "debacle" of an exit from Afghanistan, I again saw an angry and defensive man. Here we had a President defending leaving Americans behind, and taking ill-deserved pride in ending what many have called America's longest war. But how exactly is it over? Can Biden guarantee that the war on terror is over because we left Afghanistan? We left there, so every radical, Islamist group in the world will leave us alone? Is that how it works?
Biden told us that "it was the unanimous recommendation of the Joint Chiefs and all all of our commanders on the ground to end our airlift mission as planned." Really? Not one dissenting voice was heard? Either that was a huge whopper of a lie, or not a single military leader had the courage to speak up. I am inclined to think it was the former. Those commanders should all resign in disgrace.
One news source disclosed a confidential conversation between Biden and Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. (As an aside, I am not in favor of leaking confidential Presidential conversations. But this story is already out there.) This is what Biden reportedly said: "I need not tell you the perception around the world and in parts of Afghanistan, I believe, is that things are not going well in terms of the fight against the Taliban...and there is a need, whether it is true or not, there is a need to project a different picture." Imagine if Trump won a second term and said that to the Afghan President. Impeachment 3.0! How dare he try to mislead the American people and our troops, when they are in harm's way.
I just saw a story on Fox News about the University of Florida. Apparently, some students there believe the telling of the history of the 9/11 attacks should not mention who the perpetrators were. And there should be no mention of American exceptionalism, as that may lead to unwarranted nationalism. I am not surprised. These young people have been brainwashed to think that there is nothing exceptional about America - just the contrary.
On this 9/11, I'll be watching the news. And if Mayor de Blasio allows, I'll be listening for the reading of the names of those who were murdered in the twin towers 20 years before, and for the name Richard Rosenthal to be read. And I'll be shedding quite a few tears. May all their memories be a blessing to their families and friends.
