Richard Shelby: “one year ago, America awoke to a tragic and devastating incarnation of hatred and evil. Incomprehensible to most…”

“one year ago, America awoke to a tragic and devastating incarnation of hatred and evil. Incomprehensible to most citizens only a day before, the terrorist attacks of September 11 dramatically changed our people, our country, and the entire world. Insulated for over 50 years from foreign attacks on our soil, Americans in an instant grasped the magnitude of the threat we face from terrorism. In the days after the attacks, the dangerous world in which we live never seemed more precarious. The immediate aftermath brought a tremendous outpouring of grief and sorrow. Our Nation mourned as the realities of the events of September 11 penetrated our collective psyche. Candles were lit in remembrance and flags were flown in patriotic displays of unity. Stories of bravery and courage emerged in the wake of the attacks which helped to inspire and remind us of all that is great about the American spirit. This foundation of strength which was built in the days after the attacks prepared us for the challenges ahead, and helped harden our national resolve to deliver our enemies to justice. We live in a far different world than the one we occupied just 12 months ago. With a clear sense of purpose our country has engaged the war on terrorism on every conceivable front. The vision outlined by President Bush in his September 20 address to the nation has been undertaken with extraordinary success.”