9/11 -- Unfinished Business

Seven years later, as we pause to remember those who perished in New York City, in Washington, D.C. and in Shanksville, PA, I know that in the heat of a presidential campaign, the absurd captures the obvious. Today it is fitting to recall the obvious and (at least temporarily) shelve the absurd. As the ground shook beneath our collective feet that day and as we gazed with horror at the scenes unfolding before us, we endured a common grief, and then resolved to achieve a common purpose.

Seven years later, Osama Bin Laden by most intelligence accounts, is still alive. Seven years later, his top lieutenant -- Ayman Al Zahriwi is still issuing Fatwas and diatribes against the infidels. Seven years later, Al Qaeda has actually reconstituted itself with training camps and command and control in Pakistan. Seven years later, we have yet to effectively marshal the world's scorn against the perpetrators. Seven years later the United States faces the uncertainty that a terror attack even greater than 9/11 can happen once again on our homeland.

The victims from 95 nations, their families, and the American people have yet to savor the justice they deserve from the terrorism that was committed that morning. Despite the misadventure and misappropriation that has detoured us from that objective, we have so many heroes to be thankful for that offered their service and their lives since 2001 in the name of the justice that still elude us.

I, for one, will not forget the mother who besieged me two years after that horrible day not to forget that she lost her son in the south tower. She showed me his photo and told me she feared Americans would forget...that they would move on and become divided despite the unity of purpose we all shared that day and so many days after 9/11. That sense of unity seems so distant today in the thick of the presidential campaign...it is truly one of the casualties of the past seven years.

So to keep my promise to that mother, and all the mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, and all of the families who lost so much that day and since...I write this so that our remembrance of 9/11 serves as reminder that we were once united in our determination to complete the unfinished business at hand...to bring justice to those who ruined so many lives. For all that we lost and gained that day, it is time to finish our business.

Comments

[appleknocker]

You want to "bring justice to those who ruined so many lives"? That would require another Nuremberg tribunal for everyone in our current administration. Or are you being intentionally funny?

[deminmo]

For some reason I can't articulate this 9/11 commemoration
brought me to tears. I have always paused whatever I might be
doing on the other anniversaries, but this one was different.
I can't help but see mushroom clouds in the distance, further
evidence that the last 7 years have really not accomplished a
goal. Except to see the country teeter on the brink of ruin, and
further wars. The Bush Doctrine of the right of premptive attack
is worrisome.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

Mr. Ginsberg, your comments always seem so out of place here. They always sound like the predictable rattling-off of talking points by conservatives and neoconservatives. Today is supposed to be an apolitical day, but since I'm not a politician let me give an example in support of what I just said:

"Seven years later, we have yet to effectively marshal the world's scorn against the perpetrators."

The hypocrisy of that statement is stomach-churning. You HAD the world's sympathy, and you traded it for the war in Iraq. What mental gymnastics do you have to perform to be able to consistently say these things with a straight face?

[Amb. Marc Ginsberg - Huffpost Blogger]

Since I am not a conservative, paleo or neo, the fact remains is that by the malfeasance of this administration, the U.S. squandered the global sympathy we held albeit until March, 2003. That is a statement of fact irrespective whether you agree or not with the messenger. Amb. Ginsberg

[peterg76]

Facts can be hypocrtical if they are sufficiently selective. The Bush junta exploited the tragedy, obstructed investigation into its own negligence, allowed bin Laden to escape because it was more politically advantageous to have him free than to bring him to justice, and squandered the totality of the sympathy and credibility the US had in order to launch a war that only benefitted war profiteers.

Setting aside politics does not mean setting aside justice, setting aside accountability, or overlooking treason. Those who exploited September 11th are at least as criminal as those who caused it, and everytime you to try to obscure that reality, the terrorists win again.

[TheEmptinessOfTruthiness]

I appreciate your response. We agree on this point. To clarify, I am in 100% agreement with your approach to electing Obama ("damn the torpedoes"), but whenever foreign issues are the subject I find myself in 100% disagreement -> as much in the framing of the arguments as in their nuts and bolts. For example the recent article about Georgia, where it was omitted that Georgia initiated the conflict and Russia was held to be the unprovoked aggressor.

Would it be fair to say you are an extremely howkish democrat? I do stand by my statement that your foreign policy views would be at home in the Republican camp. I did a little homework and found out maybe why that is....

http://www.greatertalent.com/MarcGinsberg
...In addition to his role with FOX News...his insights are published...in such publications as The Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and the Weekly Standard.

http://thetyee.ca/Mediacheck/2006/05/02/PaidtoDenyGlobalWarming/
APCO's assignment for Imperial Oil was to bring together a roster of climate change skeptics to reveal Kyoto's "science and technology fatal flaws."
An APCO specialty is supporting rogue scientists who are financed by industry...Philip Morris...

To be fair I strongly doubt that you personally were involved in the APCO activities mentioned above.

Thanks for taking the time to answer. At least in the short term I will be reading, and agreeing enthusiastically on some subjects while challenging you on others.

[JBS]

Do be a little careful with your broad brush generalizations. George W traded the world's support for his Iraq war.

Support for GWB's war was far from universal here even in in 2002 - 2003.

[OrangeFanta]

I would like to know what is your idea of justice? This is the same mentality of the Bush administration and the criminals that have taken us into two wars in the name of justice. Did decapitating Saddam Hussein bring us justice? Does indiscriminate bombing of civilians bring us justice? How many innocent Irqis and Afghans have lost their lives in our quest for justice? We are creating more hatred and more terrorists. I'm sure there are some victims of the 911 tragedy who await justice in the form of Bin Ladden's corpse but there are just as many, if not more, who would rather we concentrate our efforts towards diplomacy, bilateralism and humanitarian aid. Not everyone has fallen for the Neocon agenda. It's a slap in the face of those of us who've lost loved ones to be told that what we're doing around the world is done in our name.

[hnealehcn]

They have to be brought to justice. The Ambassador says "UNFINISHED BUSINESS" and he is one of NeoCons who pushed George W Bush to do the unfinished business in Iraq.

[Amb. Marc Ginsberg - Huffpost Blogger]

Fictitious accusation! Amb. Ginsberg

[websmith]

Seven years later, we are still letting the government and MSM special interest groups tell us that what we saw with our own eyes was something different. Unfinished business is right.

[Molly1994]

Marc
Your words are well received and I thank you for the reminder to stop and think about this day--then and now.
It seems the outrage behind the 9/11 attacks was--pardon the expression--hijacked by the Bush administration and used to fuel a covert agenda that the citizenry of this country had no knowledge of.
The inferred crimes taking place behind closed doors and in far-off places seem beyond the scope of Watergate, Iran Contra and certainly Monica Lewinsky. Yet the ability to "check" the executive branch seems to have been forfeited by a Democratic congress more interested in appearing to "support the war" for their own political survival than challenge the Administration as it adjusted procedural codes and the chain of accountability to serve its agenda--a neocon moral imperative to change the world.
And now, here we at another threshold. Make no mistake, McCain is getting a leg up from the insiders who fear the housecleaning an Obama administration will perform. I wonder, with McCain, will he be beholden to continue the plan and keep the secrets in exchange for this Rovian leg-up he's enjoying in the polls?

[PioneerKing]

We were once united. Unfortunately, Sen. McCain has been saying for nearly two years that he knows how to conquer global jihadist and he knows how to catch Bin Laden.
The only problem is that McCain refuses to share his vast knowledge on how to get the job done with our executive branch, our intelligence agencies or the military.

McCain loves to say that knows how to catch Bin Laden and that he will he will hunt Bin Laden to the gates of hell.
Why hasn't McCain shared his knowledge on how to catch Bin Laden with Bush, Petreaus or our intelligence agencies.

If we are all in this together then shouldn't McCain be doing everything possible to catch Bin Laden rather than waiting to see if he gets elected?

McCain should put country first and tell the folks in charge how to catch Bin Laden. That is if McCain really is united for the good of the American people, rather than a self serving politician..

[deminmo]

Maybe that's the October surprise McCain alluded to
several months ago. Or, maybe martial law from Bush.

[Chrisle]

We looked to our president for leadership and George W Bush lead us down a blind alley.

[cafemocha]

It is long past the time to finish our business that was forced upon us all on that terrible day. So why is it still so far away from resolution? It is prudent and wise to be cynical as we attempt to answer these questions, as the Bush administration has managed the anti-terror activities to accommodate domestic elections and tv news cycles, rather than conducting a relentless effort to capture and/or kill the perpetrators. Entrusting this effort to the same people whose pitiful "faith based defense" allowed 9/11 remains our greatest mistake. Bush will not bring a satisfactory conclusion to the al-Qaeda debacle, nor will he provide complete disclosure of his administration's failures to protect us against the 9/11 attackers. The refusal of both Bush and Cheney to testify alone, under oath, in front of the American people is the proof of how little we can expect of this feckless, self-serving, and duplicitous administration. We are a long distance from resolving this horrible and appalling mess.

[murf 1 98]

The 911 attacks happened just a few months after Bush took office you hack. What could he possibly have done it that short of a period. I think there is plenty of blame to go around. And I don't think your interested in justice for that attack anyway. Otherwise you wouldn't be interested Bush and Cheney testifying. Can we waste our time on anything else for you. Your a typical liberal who talks and talks and waits for someone else to make the decision. Then complain on how the people that make those decisions didn't do it correctly. If you don't have any solutions, shut up and enjoy the protection being provided for you by serious people.
Just another know it all, with nothing to offer.

[deminmo]

How about offering a substantial amount of money
and immunity to an associate of Bin Laden who would
bring him or his body in? Money keeps the peace in Iraq
it should work to get this terrorist leader.

[LeftRight]

He could have continued the policies of Bill Clinton who was searching out and going to destroy al-Qaeda!

[BottomLine2008]

Justice?

[WFB]

Yes, let's remember the victims, but let's also remember the perpetrators:

http://www.asecondlookatthesaudis.com

Bin Laden, and his 15 fellow Saudis who carried out the hijackings, are just the tip of the iceberg. It would be nice if someone in congress were willing to stand up to them.

[rwe]

and yet so many in the name of sensitivity in the liberal mindset want us to forget , don't want us to remeber the horrors of that day .... That by doing so is evil and commentators degrade any who would .

[FogBelter]

I remember the horrors of that day. I also remember saying to myself as the towers fell "We have the wrong President to handle this." ... and I was right.

I don't allow the horrors of that day to cloud the fact that the victims still await justice.

[snowdog]

...and the repubs only want to use it to scare people into voting for them. They, the repubs, who let this happen on their watch!

[Molly1994]

you've got to be kidding. Pick up a newspaper, for crying out loud! Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11. Even most republicans admit that now.
How we finish the war effort in Iraq is important but make no mistake...It has NOTHING to do with 9/11
a little less blogging... a little more reading...it does a blogger good!

[Opsimath44]

Everyone remembers Sept 11th.

How many people remember Sept 12th?

Remember when the world was looking up to us?

We had a blank check.

At a minimum, we could have made rooting our terrorists a world-wide priority. A joint effort.

More idealistically, we could have made energy independence a global initiative. Can you image that? If Europe and Asia had joined us in breaking the addiction to a commodity that was controlled by a part of the world that had no interest in playing well with others?

The whole world was at our disposal, and we brushed them off. That's leadership?

Remember Sept 12th.

[FogBelter]

"I write this so that our remembrance of 9/11 serves as reminder that we were once united in our determination to complete the unfinished business at hand...to bring justice to those who ruined so many lives."

I agree Ambassador, and that begins with a legitimate investigation to replace the dog and pony show of the 911 Commission.