September 11th 2006

Here on September 11th 2006, like many Americans, I can't help but think about where I was and what was going on five years ago today. There's so much about that time that stands out with me and will forever be a part of my memories.

-The second plane flying past the window live on Good Morning America...
-The replays of the second plane smashing into the corner of WTC Building 2...
-The first building falling...
-The second building falling...
-People jumping from windows...
-The Pentagon burning out of control...
-Lower Manhattan in a cloud of smoke and dust...
-The thousands of New Yorkers covered in dust and dirt...

I also remember the images of Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon helping to load injured people onto helicopters. I thought it was very decent of the Secretary or Defense to not drive off in his black Suburban, but to instead stand with his people and to help the injured. His political affiliation meant nothing at that time.

I also remember in the days immediately following 9/11, President George Bush was at Ground Zero giving a speech to the recovery workers. Someone far away from him yelled something that he couldn't hear, but he responded impressively by yelling back something like, "I can't exactly hear you, but one thing I can say is that the people that brought down these towers are going to hear from all of us!" My feelings for the president aside, especially after the whole "My Pet Goat" incident, he looked and sounded presidential this day. He looked and sounded like a man that was ready to kick some terrorist ass. And, honestly - I wanted to see some asses kicked after 9/11.

Then the months began to wear on before we finally made it to the Taliban. (Yawn)

Then we somehow ended up in Iraq fighting Saddam, and I was like, "What's going on here?"

Then, shortly after Baghdad fell, when asked about the so far unsuccessful hunt for the 9/11 mastermind, Osama bin Laden, President George W. Bush said in a press conference, "Well, I don't spend a lot of my time thinking about him anymore..." The writing on the wall became crystal clear for me at that moment, and now on 9/11/2006 my feelings haven't changed one bit.

Osama bin Laden will never be captured while Republicans have the White House.

Republicans need fear.

If Osama bin Laden is captured, we Americans don't really get any safer. There are plenty of radicals out in the world that will continue to pose a threat to America. However, there are many people that may disagree with this position. Many Americans would breathe a sigh of relief if Osama was captured or killed. They'd relax, they'd calm down, they'd feel like al qaeda has been shut down, they'll stop being afraid. And the Republicans would NOT be happy.

The Republicans use fear and terrorism as catalysts to get undecided voters to vote Republican! Republicans are MASTERS at voter manipulation. When they need some votes, they roll out Gay Marriage, or Oil Prices or Terrorism! And, who is the poster boy from terrorism? Osama bin Laden. Republicans use him, his image and American hatred towards him as a rally point and focus point when they want to sell the terrorism angle or take peoples mind’s off of the latest Republican screw-up or scandal. There is no way the Bush Administration is going to throw away their ace in the hole while he is so valuable for scaring voters and Americans in general.

So we will continue to be lied to. Bush’s Administration will continue to swear that they are doing all they can do to capture bin Laden. They will continue to put his face in front of us to take our minds off of high gas prices, corporate corruption, redistricting, underhanded lobbying, the eroding environment and our dying troops. They need him loose and on the run.
I say let's wait until late August 2008, right during the run for the White House before Osama bin Laden turns up on a slab in US custody. What a better way for Bush to go out of the White House, than to take Osama out of play for the Democrats?