9/11 -- Ten Years On....

The NY Attacks seen from Midtown

One week before 9/11, my Dad took American Airlines Flight 11 back from seeing a Jimmy Buffett concert for his 53rd Birthday.


Jimmy Buffett, One Particular Harbor


Wind the clocks back to 1993: I was at a hospital at SUNY - Stonybrook because of a uncooked egg.  And while I was laying up in the hospital, the first major terrorist attack struck on American soil.  It would not be the last. 


Documentary on 1993 WTC Bombing (45 Mins)



And during the 90's, there were many more attacks:

1998: Two Embassy attacks in Africa (American embassies)

2000: USS Cole

And the country that is the canary in the col mine when it comes to terrorism, Israel, was under fire from Suicide attacks (funded by Saddam Hussain):

I am willing to forgive that before 9/11/01, NO ONE was ready for the attacks.   Anyone who tries to go partisan here, loses.  President Clinton did not know, neither did President Bush fils.  One of the best images of that horrible day:

Congress sings "G-d Bless America," (East Front)



[Warning - HERE THERE BE DRAGONS -- Partisan Political Rant]

That unity was destroyed by the (still festering) anger at President Bush over the 2000 Election Overtime.  The Hatred grew so large that it became a movie, multiple leaks against whatever plans were done to stop terrorism, and another movie talking about assassinating the last President.

For 8 years, I heard from the Left that the "War on Terror," needed quotes.  Wilsonianism in foreign policy, normally a Democratic Party platform, was thrown over the side when Bush fils took it up.  The hatred is still going today, look at Krugman's article. 

That's why the public doesn't cheer the Obama administration foreign policy wins.  They spent years decrying what they are doing now.

[Partisan Political rant over] 

How did 9/11 change me?

I was always a believer in Thomas Friedman's McDonalds Foreign policy theory.  I believed it when I was a Democrat and as a Republican.  Free peoples mean less terrorists See the lesson of Lenin and the Tsars in 1917 and beyond.

What I was hoping during the last Administration would be civility and "Foreign Policy stops at the waters edge,"  I am much more cynical and disillusioned about my old party. Why are Democrats surprised today because no one forgot yesterday?  

When the people are unfree, terrorism comes calling.  

When the people are free, their wallets are larger,

    and the Artists start singing. 

-- JSF 

OK, I'm done.  Say a prayer for the lost and those who rose from the ashes. 

President Bush Bullhorn Speech


President Obama at Ground Zero 9/11/11