by Joey Sett Brady

Created on: November 28, 2009   Last Updated: November 29, 2009

Osama Bin Laden orchestrated an attack that killed almost 3000 innocent Americans on 9/11/2001. Yet, almost 10 years later he still lives, prospers, and plans attacks in the mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The days after 9/11, citizens of the United States were focused and ready to defend our Homeland. We knew, as generations before us realized, that freedom is not free. Young men and women were quick to join the military. People lined the streets to donate blood. The majority of Americans were prepared to protect the future of this country by any means necessary.

However after being side-tracked with a confusing, expensive, and seemingly unnecessary war in Iraq, Americans have forgotten that true reason for the horror of that September morning. Osama Bin, Al Queda, under an umbrella of protection of the Taliban in Afghanistan, stained American soil with blood with a horrific attack on civilians.

Being from New York, maybe it is a little more difficult for me to forget. Or maybe thinking of the family down the block, whose beautiful daughter went to work that day at the World Trade Center, never to be seen again, will not allow me to forget.

Two years later her broken parents were called in to identify the jewelery on her burnt, separated arm. That was all that was left of their beautiful baby, a normal middle American girl in her early twenties - a burnt arm that had a couple of fingers and her wedding ring. The horror of the last moments of this innocent girl's life are too terrible to think about.

The next attack might be in your city, neighborhood or train station. Think of all the countries that we send our military and money to in order to stabilize and protect their citizens. It is time to protect our own people. Afghanistan is not Iraq. Afghanistan is not Vietnam.This is not a matter of right, left or middle as far as politics are concerned.

War is a horrible, exhausting endeavor that should never be taken lightly. However in this case, a surge of the finest troops in the world sent to Afghanistan will protect Americans and save many more lives in the long run. The paradox that we need war in this case to have peace and punish these factions is almost far from debate.

The fact that nonsense like John and Kate fills the front pages of our newspaper shows that Americans have forgotten. Forgotten that September morning - forgotten the lessons of our forefathers, forgotten that being apathetic is the surest way for our enemies to strike once again.

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