Our hearts and thoughts are with the victims and heroes of 9-11 and their families, as we approach this fifteenth anniversary of 9-11 (2001), and the fourth anniversary of the ‘Benghazi 9-11’ (in 2012). We join all those who lost loved ones in grieving for the irreplaceable lives that were destroyed, and pray for comfort for those left behind.
This is also a time for reflection.
In the wake of 9-11, almost the entire nation felt a sense of unity – black, white or red, we were all one. The nation felt overwhelming gratefulness to the firefighters and police officers who risked and in many cases lost their lives trying to rescue citizens trapped in the burning towers, and we were firmly determined to stamp out radical Islamist terrorism. Americans also newly understood the terror that innocent Israeli citizens have been subjected to for decades, since before the State of Israel was reborn.
Where has all this gone? Today, we are beset with divisiveness. There are racial movements that preach hatred of the police – the very same people who risked their lives to rescue fellow citizens on 9-11. As occurred in San Bernadino with fatal consequences, Americans have become afraid to report suspicious terror activities for fear of being accused of bigotry or “Islamophobia.” Israel is condemned on college campuses and even by certain churches for defending her citizens from terror attacks. Al Qaeda offshoots such as ISIS perpetrate terror attacks in various parts of the world almost every day.
Iran planned the 9-11 attacks and then joined in an alliance with al Qaeda to finalize the plot and carry out 9-11; trained the 9-11 terrorists; and provided a flight simulator in Tehran for the 9-11 terrorists’ flight training.
And, we are feeding the hand that bit us. Yesterday’s hearing before the House Financial Services Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee on Capitol Hill painfully reminded us that the U.S. administration has been sending billions of dollars to Iran, including extraordinary amounts in cash that will no doubt be used to finance more terror.
ZOA previously summarized and publicized Iran’s key role in and complicity in 9-11, documented by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in its Findings of Fact in Havlish v. bin Laden, et al – a case brought by 9-11 victims against al Qaeda, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Hezbollah and other Iranian and Iranian-backed entities, after years of investigation, prompted by information initially uncovered by the 9-11 Commission.
Briefly, Iran planned the 9-11 attacks and then joined in an alliance with al Qaeda to finalize the plot and carry out 9-11; trained the 9-11 terrorists; provided a flight simulator in Tehran for the 9-11 terrorists’ flight training; along with Iran’s proxy Hezbollah, arranged travel and visas for the 9-11 terrorists and accompanied the 9-11 terrorists on flights; and helped al Qaeda terrorists and their families escape from Afghanistan after 9-11.
On 9-11 this year, let’s pray for comfort for those who were forever bereaved by this tragedy; work towards restoring a sense of unity in our nation; once again honor our police and other first responders; understand and support Israel’s struggle against the same Islamist terror that has too often struck us in America; make sure that no more funds are sent to Iran or any regime that supports terror; and determine to finally stamp out radical Islamist terror.