Americans all over the country paid respects to the memory of victims of the 9/11 terror attacks twenty years ago, recalling the grim moment in America’s national life that inspired unity in the fight against al-Qaeda terrorism.
President Joe Biden led the 9/11 commemoration ceremonies, visiting all the three places where planes killed nearly 3000 people on a clear blue September day in 2001.
Biden was in New York to pay his respects to the people who lost their lives when al-Qaeda terrorists flew two planes into two World Trade Center towers. The President was also at the Pentagon where the third plane stuck and Shanksville, Pa, where the Flight 93 crashed after brave passengers fought with hijackers who wanted to take the flight to Washington D.C.
Biden wore a protective mask in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic as he participated in the 9/11 anniversary ceremonies.
He defended the withdrawal of US troops and citizens from Afghanistan in a chaotic environment just weeks before the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks which led to the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001.
Speaking to reporters in Shanksville, Pa., Biden pointed rejected the argument of endless overseas engagement in the fight against al-Qaeda which has spread to several places.
Seeing this year’s anniversary as a new phase, the President argued that the US should have left Afghanistan after the killing of Osama Bin Laden.
“Could Al Qaeda come back? Yeah. But guess what, it’s already back other places. What’s the strategy? Every place where al Qaeda is, we’re going to invade and have troops stay in? C’mon,” the president said.
He pushed back against criticism of the chaotic withdrawal.
“It’s hard to explain to anybody, how else could you get out,” Biden said.
“For example, if we were in Tajikistan and pulled up a C-130 and said we’re going to let, you know, anybody who was involved with being sympathetic to us to get on the plane, you’d have people hanging in the wheel well. C’mon,” he added.
The President spoke hours after his predecessor Donald Trump took a swipe at what he termed as bad withdrawal planning.
“The leader of our country was made to look like a fool, and that can never be allowed to happen. It was caused by bad planning, incredible weakness, and leaders who truly didn’t understand what was happening,” Trump said in a video on the anniversary of 9/11.
Vice President Harris spoke near Shanksville, paying tribute to the heroism of Flight 93 passengers, who tried to overpower the hijackers.
“In a matter of minutes, in the most dire of circumstances, the 40 responded as one. They fought for their own lives and to save the lives of countless others at our nation’s capital,” Harris said.
Former President George W. Bush also commemorated the anniversary with praise for the bravery of Flight 93 passengers and crew.
At the same time, Bush reminded Americans of the dangers of domestic terrorism in the wake of the January 6 invasion of Capitol Hill, which he did not mention in his remarks but his reference to national symbols made it abundantly clear that his remarks aimed at them.
He said there was “little cultural overlap between violent extremists abroad and violent extremists at home” but pointed out that both disregard human life.
“In their determination to defile national symbols, they are children of the same foul spirit and it is our continuing duty to confront them,” Bush added.
