Today is six years after the event that, even if we will otherwise, can’t leave behind us simply as a memory. I was in class when someone ran in and told us that something was going on. We ran to a TV and started watching right after the first plane hit. I didn’t understand. I remember the confusion and the tears of students when it became, somehow, clear to everyone that this was an attack. Someone pointed to spots on the screen that seemed to be falling from the still-standing buildings. It was breath-taking when we realized that they were people jumping from the burning buildings. Hearts stopped and grown men wept. That’s when I realized that I probably would not have made a good general.
I saw some of Petreus’(and Crocker’s) testimony yesterday, and there was more today which I haven’t seen. There is no need to re-work the political jockying and the short and self-serving speeches by politicians (or the screech of the MoveOn.org crowd). I merely want to say that I am impressed by the general’s seriousness, and am glad he is in charge of operations (and too bad he wasn’t fully in charge at the start of things). His careful articulation of the situation as it is now and the possibilities were good, and hopeful (and not utopian). Also prudent. Make some bow to getting some Marines out pretty quickly and then some soldiers, this gives everyone a little room for movement (and rhetoric) and allows him some six months to get back to work. Congress will not be able to prevent that; the withdrawal debate will be cut short. And that is all good. I do hope we don’t pretend to be Athenians and treat him as one of our generals who has displeased us. I think the American people are too sensible for that. And I am grateful.
Mac Owens on the war on terror. And the non-optimistic George Will has his say. Here are some videos from six years ago which should be shown on every TV station today, as far as I’m concerned. Sometimes it’s good to both weep and become angry. After all, we are not generals.
The Democrats in Congress are clearly trying to steal the show from Petraeus by any means necessary. They are covering themselves in disgrace this week. Although that's nothing new, I think comment on these people -- dissection, if nothing else -- is always necessary. One reason we've reached the sorry pass we're at today is that we've shrugged them off far too often and far too readily.
With all this crap about 9/11 being a day of service and all that, and a dearth of video footage of the event on its anniversary, I fear we are forgetting about that ugly day and need to be reminded each and every year (not to mention every day) what it is we are fighting for in the war against terrorism. They need to run the tapes and ordinary citizens need to watch, however painful to re-live that memory.
I was in Dr. Rogers Advanced micro-economics class when the first plane hit. Before the second plane hit I went up to the eight floor of the library and watched with proffesors Schramm and Thompson. Dr. Thompson's seeithing fury has always stood with me. His sincere recomendation was Nuclear, converting middle eastern sand into a glass parking lot...he may have been right. It was on that day that I bonded completely with Brian Watson, and I remmember that Paul Weaver delivered the pizza's that were ordered. I did not sleep that day or the next, and Brian and I filled the ashbrook listserve with tyrades the likes of which were probably never duplicated even to this day. As a result of september 11th new bonds emerged...and I befriended Jason Kleps who was latter to join the army with me. Sgt Kleps is preparing to go to Iraq again, and I am glad that general Petreus is providing outstanding leadership, but in the end George Will is probably right. There is only so much the army can do about the situation.
Well, that's just fascinating, John. Thanks for sharing.