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| Sunday, 12 September 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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September 11, 2001: just yesterday by Jeffrey Lunstead, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka
Three years ago, the world witnessed an unprecedented attack on the civilized world. The attacks of September 11 shocked men and women throughout the world and ended the lives of citizens from over 90 countries. The memory of these events fuels America's continuing efforts to defend Americans and our allies by stripping terrorist organizations of their ability to operate and to attract new recruits. The images of that day remain etched in the minds of all who saw them. To many Americans, September 11 still seems like yesterday. On that day, al-Qaida's hijack crews stole the future from nearly 3,000 innocent people from all around the world and devastated the lives of their families and friends. They murdered infants cradled in their mothers' arms and grandparents flying to visit their loved ones. And now as plans move forward in Manhattan to build a memorial for the victims at Ground Zero, as well as a new office tower - 1,776 feet tall, symbolic of the year of America's independence - we honour the souls lost that day in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. We pray for the families and loved ones still struggling with their loss and left with only memories. And let there be no doubt, we gather strength from our memories of those who died that day - and remain vigilant against those who still seek to harm us and our friends around the world. Americans are well aware that terrorism was not invented on September 11. Terrorism is a global problem, and far too many countries around the world have endured tragic attacks in the past. Sri Lankans have suffered as much as any people from the horrors of such acts. The September 11 attacks, however, demonstrated that today's terrorists intend to strike to the limits of their power. During the past three years, al-Qaida's capabilities have been reduced by relentless international action on the law enforcement, military, intelligence, diplomatic and financial fronts. However, al-Qaida's desire to kill on a massive scale remains unchanged. And this danger is increased when outlaw regimes build or acquire weapons of mass destruction and maintain ties to terrorist groups. Tempered by the tragedy of September 11, America is determined to face these new threats, not ignore them or simply wait for future attacks. In the post-September 11 environment, the U.S. is working with allies such as Sri Lanka to reconfigure national and international security arrangements to prevail over terrorists as well as the states and organizations supporting them. Our objective is a lasting, democratic peace in which nations can develop and prosper, free from the threat of terror. We are helping to build a hopeful future for people who have suffered for far too long. We will not allow troubled regions to remain mired in despair and violence. Al-Qaida and its affiliates offer no constructive vision for the world. Their sole mission has been to destroy what others have built through hard work and commitment. Our common international efforts to defeat the terrorists, therefore, serve to provide the global security upon which free, peaceful nations can advance their social, cultural and economic development goals. The United States and its missions worldwide are working daily to lay the foundation for peace by supporting the development of democracy. We support the hope and progress that democracy offers as the alternative to tyranny and terror. Quite simply, in democratic and successful societies, men and women do not adopt mass murder as a national policy; they turn their hearts and minds to building better lives for themselves and for their families through education and hard work. Democratic governments do not shelter terrorist camps or kill innocent men, women, and children. Rather, they raise their citizens up, expending their energies and resources on fostering the rule of law and seeking expanded opportunities for trade and other exchanges. Americans pause with you to remember the fallen from over 90 countries worldwide who died on September 11, 2001. We remember also their friends and relatives whose lives were changed forever. We replay in our minds the images of that horrific day, but we also embrace new images of hope. We remember the worldwide outpouring of sorrow and solidarity - in town plazas and at U.S. embassies - that were the seeds of the international campaign against terrorism launched in the wake of the attacks. We are committed to continuing to work with the international community toward the day when terrorists' messages fall flat, when their wallets are empty, and when their recruits turn away to take advantage of opportunities made possible by those who would build, not destroy. |
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