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Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley honored the 20th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks at the Pentagon, reflecting on the sacrifices made in response to that murderous day and assuring Americans that “your sacrifice was not in vain” .
“One thing I am certain of for every soldier, sailor, aviator and navy, for every CIA officer, for every FBI agent, for every cop and firefighter, you did your duty, your service mattered, your sacrifice didn’t was not in vain, “he said from the Pentagon. “Let us resolve once again today on this sacred ground, never to forget, never to forget those who were murdered by terrorists, never to forget those who rushed to save their lives. “
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The general reflected on the ensuing American war on terror and acknowledged that the United States faces the same threats from extremism today as it did 20 years ago.
“All the values and all the principles enshrined in our Constitution and realized in our daily life were paid for with the blood of the dead on this place at 9:37 a.m. on September 11, 2001,” said the general speaking from the memorial where a plane left a gaping hole after hitting the Pentagon.
Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley speaks during a celebratory ceremony at the Pentagon in Washington on Saturday, September 11, 2021, the morning of the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. (AP Photo / Alex Brandon)
“These ideas were and still are hated by our enemies, the fascists, the Nazis, the Communists, al-Qaeda, ISIS, the Taliban, authoritarians, dictators and tyrants of all kinds,” he continued. “They hate these ideas.”
Almost 3,000 people were killed in the 9/11 attacks after Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes – two of which pulverized the Twin Towers in Manhattan, one hit the Pentagon and one that never reached its destination after passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 shot down the plane in Pennsylvania.
“We remember them today not only for who they were, but also for what they could have become. They were irreplaceable,” Milley said. “But we the living have a solemn duty to honor their memory, their heritage, to honor and remember them not only today, but every day.”
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The general underscored not only the loss of life Americans have mourned since, but also how the United States has united around the need to fight terrorism at home and abroad.
“They tried to destroy us. They tried to divide us, and they ultimately tried in vain to terrify us,” Milley said. “But their murderous intention was never realized.
“We weren’t afraid of what was in front of us because we loved what was behind us,” he added, reflecting on the 20-year war that ensued in the aftermath of 9/11.
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The general also honored the men and women who have died in the US fight against terrorism, including the 13 servicemen killed last month in the mass evacuation from Afghanistan – five of whom were born in the same year as the attacks. of September 11.
“Never forget the sons and daughters, the siblings and the mothers and fathers who gave their tomorrows for today,” Milley concluded. “Honor them, honor them today and forever.”
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