September 11, 2007

Web Reconnaissance for 09/11/2007

A short recon of what’s out there that might draw your attention, updated throughout the day...so check back often.
Today highlighting 9/11 posts, along with other must read info from around the net.

In the News: (Registration may be required to read some stories)
[No news postings today…]


From the Front:
Those Wacky Iraqis: Going Home - I have had enough. It is time to go home. I am just burned out and need some down time with my family. Good luck my brothers and Godspeed. Get home alive and safe. (READ MORE)

LTC Richard Phillips: A Tour of the FOB . . . - As promised, a tour of the FOB is in order. I guess up until a few years ago the term FOB (Forward Operating Base) was not a common term. Now, it’s very common. FOB Salerno is located in eastern Afghanistan, in Khowst Province. Khowst Province reminds me of Arizona, high desert surrounded by mountains. (READ MORE)

Andrew Lubin: Voices From The Front - 3 - The war of words in Washington might uglier than the war in Iraq. As both sides ‘spin’ the report that Gen David Petraeus has yet to deliver, President Bush is downplaying the importance of the Maleki government missing 15 of the 18 benchmarks that he fought to have adopted as a measure of their success. In yet an other White House-ordered report, Gen James Jones, the former Marine Corps Commandant, reported yesterday that the Iraqi Security Forces needs another 18 months-plus in order to work effectively. Most enlightening was his answer to Rep Joseph Sestak’s ( Adm, USN ret. ) question about the effects of the war on American national security : “ You are correct. What is lacking is a strategic debate.” (READ MORE)

Michael Yon: Don’t Ask Me What I Think about the Petraeus Report - Weeks ago, as the deadline for General David Petraeus’s progress report on the war loomed, journalists were already asking me what I thought of it. Then, as now, I do not know what to think of the report since it is not yet published. Even this coming week, after listening to the general’s testimony before Congress, I will have to read the report and transcripts numerous times, sleep on the information, and reflect on it in light of my own observations of the situation in Iraq. The outcome of the war in Iraq, and to some extent the greater War on Terror, will largely depend upon our decisions today. (READ MORE)

Col Michael Visconage: Supplying the War - On the road last night, and into the morning riding on a Combat Logistics Patrol (CLP). I rode with 2nd Platoon, 755th Chemical Company of the Nebraska National Guard. They are part of the 734th Transportation Battalion, a National Guard Battalion out of South Dakota. The Battalion CO is normally a high school history teacher. Earlier in the tour he was able to link up with three former students assigned to other Army units in Iraq. (READ MORE)

Acute Politics: Dust Storms in the Rearview - Well, it took me a while, but I made it down to Kuwait. We spent 8 hours sitting on the flight line on Ramadi waiting on the helicopter that would take us to Camp Taqqadum and one step closer to home. Somewhere around 3am, we were told that flights into Ramadi were canceled for the night due to weather, and that we would take a ground convoy instead. The convoy was supposed to be Cougars and Humvees- instead, it turned out to be Humvees and HETs. (READ MORE)


On the Web:
LawHawk: Six Years Later - It has been six years since that fateful morning. Dawn rose over the New York metro area and it was a gloriously bright and sunny morning. The sky was blue without a cloud in the sky. Lower Manhattan's skyline was dominated by the World Trade Center's Twin Towers. They were gleaming in the sun. The news from around the day was the usual mix. (READ MORE)

McQ: Good show, General Petraeus, not that anyone will pay attention to what you said ... - Yes friends, I've now made it through almost 5 hours of House testimony from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker before the combined members of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees. I have been struck by two things. Both Petraeus and Crocker seemed exceedingly well prepared to face these committee members. Either that or the committee members were woefully unprepared to question them. What most members were prepared to do is make statements which essentially staked out their position on the war in Iraq. (READ MORE)

Jules Crittenden: Sept. 11 - My wife and I have been married for 14 years today. On Sept. 10, 2001, because back then I had Sundays and Mondays off, we went out to dinner on the deck at Siro’s at Marina Bay, and watched a beautiful sunset over Dorchester. That was the last night things were normal. In the morning before work, I was mowing the strip in front of the stone wall that I had forgotten to get the day before, when my wife came out to tell me a plane had hit a skyscraper in New York. (READ MORE)

Bryan Preston: (Video) Taking on lefty hate speech on The Factor - Lefties engaging in hate speech that earned mentions tonight included MoveOn for their despicable “General Betray Us” ad, an ad ultimately paid for by a convicted inside trader (where are the lefties who’ll denounce George Soros, Robber Baron?) and aimed at a man who has spent his entire adult life defending America in uniform: (READ MORE)

See-Dubya: Also not getting the memo: the entire city of San Francisco - Yesterday I mentioned Code Pink’s ham-thighed-handed disruption of Gen. Petraeus’ testimony showed they just hadn’t gotten the memo: the Anti-Victory movement has gone corporate. Cap-toe oxfords are in; bare saggy grandma-boobs smeared with Mercedes/peace symbols and defecating on Old Glory are so 1969 2003. Why the change in tactics? As I was musing at JYB, it occurred to me that it’s the blogosphere, stupid: (READ MORE)

Allahpundit: (Video excerpt) Degenerate praised by bigger degenerate - Laura Mansfield has the video of Bin Laden’s intro to the tape of 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri rambling on for 40 minutes about the glories of airline hijackings. To my ear the audio sounds different than the audio on the tape released last week. It’s clearer on this one, for one thing, and the voice, while sounding like Bin Laden’s, isn’t quite as unmistakably his. (READ MORE)

Don Surber: His name is Forrest Langley - Wake up America! has the true tale of a soldier wounded in combat in Iraq — 100% disabled — who is going to march to Washington next week to give our congressmen and senators the old What For. “I am sick and tired of the Senators and Congressmen who want to pull our troops out of Iraq because they are afraid that they might lose an election.” (READ MORE)

Ed Morrissey: Curious George - George Will should get a lot of mileage from today's column, in which he declares the surge a failure. That declaration will no doubt attract opponents of the war and get cited by them, handily appearing as it does in conjunction with the testimony of General David Petraeus. Normally rather thoughtful, Will bases this conclusion on two very weak arguments, both of which are so easily rebutted that it makes one wonder why the normally excellent Will didn't think it through better. First, he argues that Bushs' appearance in Anbar proves the surge didn't work: (READ MORE)

Jonathan Adler: Three-Year-Olds and Airport Security - Amos Guiora's op-ed on the failings of airport security prompted significant response, here and elsewhere. Among other things, readers debated whether his example of TSA subjecting a three-year-old to the explosive-detecting "blower" was a good example of poor prioritization and a failure to focus on resources on actual threats. In response to these comments, Amos e-mails the following: “In reading the numerous responses here (and on other blogs and websites), I have been struck by the clear sense of concern with respect to airport security. While we may disagree over methods implemented, the overwhelming expression is one of great concern. I share that concern.” (READ MORE)

Jay Tea: Humbled - Every year since I started writing for Wizbang, I've made a point of posting something relevant on each anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Last year was probably the most significant, as the entire site came together and a bunch of us all wrote essays on just what 9/11 meant to each one of us. Kevin reprinted a piece he'd written on the second anniversary on how his life had changed in those brief moments. Kim paid tribute to a man who died in the World Trade Center. Lorie published the piece she has already re-run. And I wrote to companion pieces: first a personal recollection, then a historical analysis. (READ MORE)

DJ Drummond: Reich Shows Why Hillary Clinton Must Not Be President - The September 10 issue of BusinessWeek includes an interview with Robert Reich, the Labor Secretary under President Clinton. Economics Editor Peter Coy interviewed the Berkeley Professor for Public Policy, and posted excerpts in a one-page article on page 86, in the IdeasOutsideShot section. However inadvertently, Dr. Reich's comments provide evidence that another Clinton Administration would be bad for America. (READ MORE)

A Soldier's Mind: Patriot’s Day, September 11th … A Day To Remember - Six years ago today, the world woke up to news of a series of events that will forever remain etched in our minds, as planes were hijacked, sparking one of the most devastating attacks on this Country. 2 planes flown into the World Trade Towers in New York City, killing all aboard and thousands of people inside the buildings, 1 plane was flown into the Pentagon killing those onboard the plane and hundreds inside the Pentagon, and another plane which hijacked was bound for Washington DC, crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. Over 3000 people were killed that day, a day which sparked the Global War on Terrorism. I remember watching my television in horror as the events of that tragic day unfolded. (READ MORE)

CW4BillT: The First Thing Shaken Out Of The Can - "Mr. Tuttle, what could cause a plane to crash into a skyscraper?" We were sitting on the loading ramp of the clothing issue point at Fort Dix, waiting for the facility to open so we could draw our two dufflebag-loads of deployment gear. Fifteen officers and enlisted -- Jersey's contribution to the 29th Infantry Division and SFOR-10 -- feet dangling off the edge of the dock, everyone Bosnia-bound, and everyone asking the Deployment Subject Matter Expert -- me -- what to bring in addition to what we knew would be issued. Then came the airplane question from one of the enlisted guys. (READ MORE)

The Barnyard: 6 years after: Reflections of 9/11 - It has been 6 years since the US was attacked on September 11th and yet manny Americans (and Canadians and Europeans) continue to be ignorant about our attackers, about their motives and about the proper course of action. Are we at war with 'terrorism'? Were the 9/11 hijackers upset about social injustices or were they part of a fringe minority of religious extremists? 6 years after the attack, our leadership is still painfully lacking a plan to combat our enemy, whoever they may be. After 6 years, WWII was won, Nazism defeated, the German and Japanese war machines crushed and totalitarianism beaten. However, in the same amount of time after 9/11, the West is only beginning to wake up and fight back. In order to defend ourselves, we must know our enemies, why they fight, concoct a defense plan and muster the courage to carry it out. (READ MORE)

Pamela Geller: 911 - Nothing was the same -G-d bless Agnus Dei for this extraordinary tribute. The auteur of this striking 9/11 tribute was inspired by Atlas visuals. "Thank you for giving me the clues to the 2 or 3 most pivotal and important images for my Agnus Dei: A 9/11 Reflection. It's the one that most perfectly sums up why we must remember." I am deeply honored to have been a part of so noble an effort no matter how small my contribution. (READ MORE)

Austin Bay: Initial thoughts on Petraeus-Crocker testimony - After three hours of testimony — at times grueling testimony — I’ve some initial reactions. (As it is, I have to get ready to give a speech this evening.) My first thought is MoveOn.org lost this political battle — the chumps went an “ad too far” with the paid newspaper ad (in today’s NY Times) personally attacking GEN David Petraeus as “General Betray Us?” Remember, the hard left riles at Coulter-style attacks calling them traitors. (I won’t even bother linking to the ad — I have a copy of the paper on a chair near my desk — it’s as hideous as it is stupid.) (READ MORE)

Bear Creek Ledger: America Needs To Remember - Sept. 11, 2001 - I find it interesting that on the 6th anniversary of the Sept. 11th Attack Dhimmicrats have devolved to attacking General Petraeus, a man who they overwhelmingly voted for half a year ago. In their control of Congress Nancy Pelosi allowed left wing anarchists to invade the congressional chambers and attack the General during hearings. I don’t think it’s so much that the Democrats need to remember as I don’t think they ever believed this attack on American soil was anything more than a criminal matter instead of a Jihad on the Western World for world domination by the Islamists. (READ MORE)

Blackfive: Petraeus Pwns Wexler - Today was interesting... Man, if I hear one more politician say "With all due respect" and then show none at all...how General Petraeus must want to put a Corcoran so far up their fourth points of contact that they will taste Kiwi...the man has the patience of a Saint. I was on Jerry Doyle's show today to discuss the report, and Jerry said that, if he were General Petraeus, that he'd want to leap across the room and throttle Lantos and Skelton...I understand that, but General Petraeus is a soldier, a professional soldier. (READ MORE)

Blonde Sagacity: 9/11: Six years Later We Have Forgotten and Haven't Learned a Thing - I have been incensed lately at the direction of the war (let our boys do what it takes to win!), the so-called "war on terror" (call it what it really is!) and the lackadaisical attitude of way too many Americans. Do you think Katrina was bad? Do you think 9/11 was bad? Do you know that the stated "goal" of al Qaeda is to kill 4 million Americans? Try to fathom that. I decided the most fitting tribute, to those that were murdered this day six years ago, was a return to my anger. Wake up from your apathy and get pissed! Let's take a walk down memory lane... (READ MORE)

Chickenhawk Express: Two Thumbs Up for HBO's Alive Day Memories - When I first saw the promo for Alive Day Memories on HBO, I cringed. HBO doesn't exactly have a great track record of showing a non-partisan view of the war. Since James Gandolfini was involved, I figured it would at least be balanced so I made a point of watching it. All I can say is WOW! This was one of the most moving documentaries I have seen in ages. It wasn't all sugary sweet with injured soldiers saying "life is beautiful". These are the heroes who left a piece of themselves in the desert in Iraq because they volunteered to serve our country. (READ MORE)

bRight & Early: Six Years Later - We promised ourselves, our families, friends, and nation that we would never forget. I remember saying in the days immediately following September 11th, 2001 that perhaps a better truth to keep would be that we would always remember. A list of the names of the victims can be found here. (READ MORE)

Blue Crab Boulevard: A Sunny Day In September - On September 9th, 2001, I arrived in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to attend a seminar at Lehigh University. The subject was improving coal power plant efficiency. I was there with two of the engineers who worked for me at the time. It seemed like the subject matter would be useful to us since we were always under pressure to make the plant run better. We got a rental car at the airport and drove into town, making a side trip up to the Lehigh campus, just to scope out where we would be going the next day. (READ MORE)

Jeffrey Imm: 9/11 and the Inconvenient Truths about Jihad and Islamism - Six years after the 9/11 attacks, the key strategic issue regarding the global war has not yet been addressed by American leadership and the American people: a clear definition of the global enemy we are fighting and a clear definition of the ideology of the enemy. Extensive discussion has been held on terrorism, the nature of terrorism, tactical approaches to homeland security, tactics of terrorism and counterterrorism, and specific military campaign tactics. Significant progress has been made on such issues, but it is important to recognize that the progress has been in tactical operational areas, and that overarching strategy issues still need to be addressed. (READ MORE)

Walid Phares: The 'Bin Trotsky' Video and the Jihadi Failure in Iraq - Has Osama bin Laden turned into Osama bin Trotsky? As I was watching bin Laden reading carefully from his prepared speech, I couldn't help but notice the dramatic drifting in the rhetoric from Salafi Jihadism to a new brand of neo-Wahabism, which I'd baptize "Jihadi Trotskyism" just for the sake of analytical linguistics. The (now) black-bearded high commander of al Qaeda was still quoting from holy texts and talking at a Caliphate level, to be sure, but stunningly, he was also reciting recycled neo-Marxism of the kind usually generated at Berkeley, Columbia or the web sites of the anarchic and post-Soviet internationalists. This mutation, above all other matters related to hair color, skin health or "where-is-Osama," is the essence of the tape, at least for those who read it from a strategic angle. (READ MORE)

Wordsmith: "There were no links between the Viet Cong and 9/11!" - President Bush gave a speech recently, to the Veterans of Foreign Wars National Convention. Because of his referencing of Vietnam in the speech (and it was an excellent speech, at that), there has been much criticism- especially from those on the left of the issue, including all the obligatory Congressional Democratic "whatever-he's-for-we're-against-it" leaders. The left has craved and made the comparison for the past 4 years, including Ted Kennedy, Harry Reid (who now says, post-VFW speech: "President Bush's attempt to compare the war in Iraq to past military conflicts in East Asia ignores the fundamental difference between the two.") and all the other usual suspects. Here are some examples: (READ MORE)

Baron Bodissey: Arrests in Brussels - Note: The earliest reports are at the bottom of this post. The English-language MSM has picked it up now. This is an AP story from The International Herald Tribune: "Police arrest 2 far-right Belgian leaders at anti-Islam 9/11 protest: Police arrested two leaders of a Belgian far-right party Tuesday for staging an illegal protest against the ‘Islamization of Europe,’ six years to the day after the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. Police scuffled with some of the 200 people who converged on two squares in the EU district of Brussels to protest against what they perceived as the rise of Islam as a significant political force across Europe. Officers handcuffed two leaders of the far-right Flemish Interest Party, which is very critical of Muslim immigrants, and took them away in police vans." (READ MORE)

Fort Hard Knox: Six Years After: Looking Back at the World Trade Center - When the World Trade Center was built, it was a bit of a shock to New Yorkers. Designed by Japanese architect Minoru Yamasaki, the towers at first were not at all well received. They looked like two new houses in a subdivision with no shrubbery around them. But then as smaller and medium-sized buildings developed in the neighborhood, there was a sense that things were “filling in” and, over time, WTC became an icon. (READ MORE)

Kit Lange: Vietnam Wall Defaced - This weekend, the anti-war crowd did what Gathering of Eagles has dedicated itself to preventing: They damaged one of our memorials. Friday night, someone squirted an oil/petroleum-based substance on the Vietnam Wall. As a result, the wall absorbed the substance and obliterated some of the heroes’ names inscribed at the wall. It’s no coincidence that it was done the weekend before thousands of Eagles arrive to lobby Congress and the anti-American anarchists from ANSWER. This is why we exist. This is why we fight, why we will not submit to the anti-American, anti-military agenda of the moonbat defeatists. (READ MORE)

GayPatriotWest: Rendered Speechless by the Far Left’s Lack of Decency - There are times when words fail me. And times when I struggle with the right word. Or the right post. Sometimes, when I experience an unexpected kindness, I, who have often defined my gift as words, stammer and can’t respond. I can’t find the words to match the generosity. Would it that this post were about such silence. Alas that this is about something which so totally stupefies me because it’s so outrageous, I feel I must write to express my incredulity. But, given that what has so outraged me has come from the angry anti-war left, incredulity is not quite the word. Because by now, we already seen the levels to which these extreme outfits would descend to attack President Bush or people who promote and/or execute his policies. We are accustomed to the mean-spirited and dishonest attacks they have long since produced. (READ MORE)

Hatemonger's Quarterly: We Shall Never Forget - Longtime readers of this humble “weblog” may recognize that “The Hatemonger’s Quarterly” is a humor “website.” Sure, on occasion it’s hard to tell. If by “on occasion” you mean “pretty much every day.” After all, we’re not exactly “Family Circus.” As a “weblog” dedicated to the mirthful arts (if you will), “The Hatemonger’s Quarterly” tends toward the silly and inconsequential. It is possible, for instance, that we have made more references to Phil Collins than can be found in any other corner of Al Gore’s Internet, save some wretched Phil Collins fan site. (READ MORE)

Homefront 6: 9.11.07 - This is not a topic I like to discuss. Not outright. Not in detail. It is the epitome of the Big Giant Elephant in the living room. The big issue that everyone will skirt but rarely confront head on. It has been 6 years. And yet, if I sit quietly and focus, the emotions from that horrible, beautiful day are still there. Not quite as raw. Not quite as fresh. But still there. (READ MORE)

Jihad Watch: Premature withdrawal in Iraq would be 'devastating' says Petraeus - He is very likely correct in this, although it is hard to see how any course will not have devastating consequences at this point. The all-important question is, Which set of devastating consequences are we willing to accept so as to ensure our national security most effectively and stem the advance of the global jihad most definitively? From Thomson Financial: (READ MORE)

IMAO: Six Years - It's been six years since we were attacked on our soil, and I'm not sure what's left to say. Either you get it, or you don't. You understand there are people out there plotting to kill us and that by far the biggest responsibility of the federal government is to do something about taht or you choose to ignore that so you can focus on easier piddling crap issues. In my greatest optimism, I never thought we'd go this long without another attack, and hopefully we can go much longer. (READ MORE)

Bill Roggio: Gen. Petraeus reports to Congress - Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of Multinational Forces Iraq, has released the much anticipated report to Congress. The full text of the report is below, but the main points differ little from the July interim assessment or the most recent National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq. Petraeus stated the military aspect of the surge has succeeded in reducing violence and has "generated momentum," the Iraqi Security Forces are growing while taking on a greater role in securing the country, and political progress at the local level will allow US forces to draw down the surge brigades. He predicted the force levels can be drawn down from 20 to 15 combat brigades starting in December and ending by July 2008, given that progress in the security. (READ MORE)

Michelle Malkin: 9/11: Remembrance and resistance - What do you remember? When I think back to September 11, 2001, the crisp morning before jihadists struck on American soil, I remember transluscent blue skies. Green-gold leaves. And the blush pink cheeks of my then-one-year-old daughter, who was waiting to go for a walk while I did a double-take at the first cable TV reports of a “small commuter plane” crashing into the World Trade Center. Then the skies turned black. And the Twin Towers turned to ash. (READ MORE)

Kat in MO: September 11: Gratitude and Cold Revenge - It seems somethings always require an acknowledgment and obligatory post. Today is one of those days. It remains an obligatory post because we are still at war with the same people who attacked us. I am reminded how I felt that day. I was mad as hell. The kind of mad that makes you do crazy things and hurt people, even those you wouldn't normally consider responsible, just because it would have felt good to harm a proxy for the S.O.B.s that actually did the damage. (READ MORE)

Some Soldier's Mom: It's Always 9:11 Somewhere - When I saw this sky last night, it reminded me so much of the sky the night of 9/11/2001 as I passed over the Tappan Zee Bridge and glanced in horror down the Hudson River towards the gaping hole in the sky where the Towers had stood that morning. Except that night the sky glowed red not with God's glory, but with the blood red glow of the flames that burned at Ground Zero... (READ MORE)

Parrothead Jeff: Remembering September 11, 2001 - Everyone who was old enough to understand remembers where they were on that day. I certainly remember where I was and what I was doing. I just wish more people would remember the spirit of unity that followed it. I have never before seen American flags sold out for so long. Even around Independence Day every year there’s some left over. Not after that day. 9/11 for me started out on 9/10. I was a car salesman in San Diego at the time, selling Chevys at what was then C&M Chevrolet. Personal time in the car business is something to be closely guarded. (READ MORE)

Operation: Altair: Disaster for the Democrats - The moonbat left is, understandably, beside themselves. On one hand, you had Moveon.org's absolute disgrace of running a full page advertisement in the New York Tikes assaulting not only the credibility of General David Petraeus, but also his honor and dedication to this great nation of ours. But then, the target of that assault goes before Congress and gives a slam dunk testimony. He had chart after undisputable chart. Statistic after unassailable statistic. Answer after completely dominating answer. (READ MORE)

Pirate's Cove: Remembering 9/11 - Last year, for the 2996 Project, I remembered Brook Alexandra Jackman on this site, and Andrew H. Golkman at the American Flag League. Rather then putting together another video for this year, I would rather just repost 911Plus5. The photos never fail to bring a tear to my eye. But let us also remember the people, our neighbors, who were lost that day fondly. We can remember them by saying "never again." We can remember them by not allowing the Muslim fanatics, who have the stated intention of destroying modern civilization, to do just that. (READ MORE)

Dan Riehl: NY Times Ad Contradicts NY Times Own Reporting - In the now infamous Moveon.org ad in the New York Times, they claim "the Pentagon has adopted a bizarre formula for keeping tabs on violence. For example, deaths by car bombs don't count." That's false, according to the NY Times. While some incidents may be designated as sectarian violence, they are indeed tracked and reported. Allowing for that classification, the number is still down significantly. From the New York Times on Sept. 8: “Nonetheless, some trends are down. The number of car bombs in Baghdad is an important measure, since many are directed at civilians and the overarching American goal is to break the cycle of internecine violence.” (READ MORE)

Rhymes with Right: Olbermann Derangement Reaches Terminal Stage - Sportscaster Keith Olbermann, who is playing in a pool well out of his depth, has really crossed over into the final delusions immediately before the body rejects the brain as totally diseased and more of a threat than death itself. “Al Qaeda really hurt us, but not as much as Rupert Murdoch has hurt us, particularly in the case of Fox News. Fox News is worse than Al Qaeda — worse for our society. It’s as dangerous as the Ku Klux Klan ever was.” (READ MORE)

Reformed Chicks Blabbing: We will never forgot - We remember those who were killed, the grief of their families and the loss of our assurance that we are impervious to attack. We continue to pray for those who mourn the loss of a loved one, may God comfort them with his presence today. (READ MORE)

Right Wing Nut House: The Way We Were - A photograph, partially torn at the corner and suffering from being stuffed into a drawer full of screwdrivers, wrenches, and assorted knick knacks and gewgaws reflected the fluorescent light in the kitchen off its scratched surface making it difficult to identify. Why we call it the “utility drawer” is beyond me. I suppose it’s because anything and everything that doesn’t have its own place eventually ends up being carelessly thrown in there – parts of one’s life that defy categorization or stuff that we can afford to forget about. (READ MORE)

ShrinkWrapped: Hovering in the Background - Today, General Petraeus is scheduled to present his report on the current state of affairs in Iraq subsequent to the beginning of the surge and his prescription for the future of the American military involvement in Iraq. There has already been a great deal of commentary in preparation for his report, much of it confirming the view that mere facts have very little sway on emotionally held opinions. I do not plan on adding to the commentary here but wold like to address the "elephant in the room", Iran. There has been a fair amount of tumult in the Blogosphere over Iran recently, with a number of journalists and bloggers claiming that the Bush administration is preparing the ground for an attack on Iran. Daniel Drezner has a summary, with links, on the tough test of Iran. (READ MORE)

ROFASix: 9-11-2001 - 11 September 2007 Never forget ... and never forgive. (READ MORE)

Army Wife Toddler Mom: Explaining 9-11 - I cried Sunday at church when we sang God Bless America. DH offered me his handkerchief. I cry almost every time I hear the National Anthem, see colors being marched in. ......Anytime I see my fellow Americans standing before the flag....... I cried this morning just because. (READ MORE)

Mackubin Thomas Owens: No Such Thing as A Stupid Question? Not So Fast, My Friend! - As I watched Gen. Petraeus and Amb. Crocker field questions during the House hearing yesterday, I was reminded of a personal experience. As a young Marine captain, I was assigned to the US Army Field Artillery School to teach artillery tactics. My mentor there was an Army captain who remains the best teacher I have ever known. Before I actually got to teach, I observed my mentor as he took a class of brand new lieutenants through the course. (READ MORE)

Technicalities: As Are All Memories - Sometimes they seem to have happened yesterday, other times they are far away. This year it will be 66 years since that infamous date December the 7th. Today it is 6 years since another infamous date. Time moves on. We don't forget. I have a feeling for those who lived through that day 66 years ago, some memories are as clear as they were the day after it happened. (READ MORE)

Jay Fraser: RapidRecon: September 11, 2007 - Going Forward - Today is a somber day. Many people remember it all too well through personal experiences. Others watched transfixed to their TV’s as the events unfolded and the truths were revealed. Secretary Chertoff said yesterday that “we are safer, but not yet safe.” In a sense, we will likely never be safe from the threats posed by this new terrorism. The question is how to improve our chances. My associate Steve Schippert earlier today wrote his post, After 9/11 - The Citizen Role. He ended with this: (READ MORE)

Steve Schippert: After 9/11 - The Citizen Role - At the South Asia Analysis Group’s International Terrorism Monitor, B. Raman notes an oft overlooked element in the fight against terrorism “waged separately and jointly by the countries of the world affected by the scourge of terrorism.” In 9/11: Looking Back & Moving Forward, he calls attention to the roles and accomplishments of the average citizen. (READ MORE)

Meryl Yourish: Backing up Holocaust testimony - A Catholic Priest is leading a movement to bring to light the testimony of non-Jewish Ukrainians who witnessed the Holocaust. And he’s finding that it was even worse than reported. “Roman Catholic Rev. Patrick Desbois and his small team of investigators have spent six years canvassing the towns and villages of Ukraine to patiently hear elderly people tell of what they saw during those terrible years when they were young. He says his team has pinpointed more than 600 mass execution sites, about 70 percent of them previously unknown. It has surveyed about a third of Ukraine, he says, and estimates there are at least 2,500 such sites throughout the Texas-sized country.” (READ MORE)

Tully Mars: 9/11 Six Years Later - It's been 6 years since that fateful day in 2001, in those six years we have seen a lot of changes in our country and the world. Many of those changes have been good, many have been bad, but change is an inevitable thing. One thing that has changed is that most people have gone back to their normal lives and most only think about September 11th in passing and most have forgotten the significance of the events of that day on our country, our families, and our way of life. (READ MORE)

Images about 9/11:
Neptunus Lex: Cathedral
Cassandra: Memory
Jay Tea: 9/11 Six Years Later - 9:03AM (updating)
Lorie Byrd: Six Years Later -- We Will Not Forget
Cox & Forkum: Tuesday Morning
Freedom Eden: SIX YEARS AGO
Flopping Aces: Today Is
Gribbit’s Word: Remembering The Worst Day In US History
Hooahwife: Never Forget
SondraK: Today
The Jawa Report: Never Forget
Political Pistachio: In Memory of those lost on 9/11
Sarge Charlie: Remembering 9/11
The Spirit of Man: Never Forget
SpouseBUZZ: September 11, 2001
Yikes!: No words needed....
Steeljaw Scribe: September 11, 2001

Have an interesting post or know of a "must read?" Then send a trackback here and let us all know about it. Or you can send me an email with a link to the post and I'll update the Recon.

Trackbacked by:
Reflections - Pentagon 9/11 from Steeljaw Scribe

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