Never Forget Is Not Enough: Twenty-Five Years Later, America Still Needs Accountability

Twenty-five years later, I want to be abundantly clear. In my view, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and others across the Middle East bear responsibility, in varying ways, for fostering or enabling the Islamist extremism that ultimately led to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We must never allow history to fade into convenient political memory. Since Pearl Harbor, the United States had never experienced an attack on its homeland on the scale of September 11. Over 3,000 innocent Americans were murdered. The Twin Towers fell. The Pentagon was attacked. Our nation was forever changed. Yet today, a quarter century later, it feels as though too many have forgotten not only what happened, but also the difficult questions surrounding how it happened and who should be held accountable. History teaches us that actions have consequences. Following Pearl Harbor, Japan faced the consequences of its government's decisions during World War II. Twenty-five years after 9/11, many Americans continue to ask whether every nation that enabled or financed Islamist extremism has ever been held fully accountable.

Earlier today at the National September 11 Memorial, Terry Strada, Chair of 9/11 Families United and the widow of 9/11 victim Tom Strada, delivered a powerful message that echoed the frustrations of countless families. She said, "For 25 years, administration after administration... chose to protect the Saudis instead of standing with the 9/11 families." She urged President Trump to tell Saudi Arabia "to stop lying" and called for the Kingdom to acknowledge its role so that families could finally begin to receive the accountability they have sought for a quarter century.

Her words deserve to be heard by every American. I would add another question: Has oil become more valuable than justice? Is our economic addiction to oil worth more than accountability for the thousands of lives lost and the countless families forever changed? Has our government lost the moral clarity to confront these questions honestly? These are not questions of vengeance. They are questions of truth, acknowledgment, and accountability. I believe one of the greatest dangers facing our country is allowing fear of difficult conversations to replace clear-eyed judgment. If we refuse to honestly confront violent Islamist extremism and its consequences, we risk forgetting the lessons paid for with American blood. Too often, financial interests and political convenience appear to outweigh moral conviction. Foreign governments continue to enjoy influence in Washington while many families who lost loved ones on September 11 still seek answers and accountability. Today, I respectfully call upon President Trump to hear those families. They deserve acknowledgment. They deserve accountability. That does not require another war or military conflict. It requires the courage to recognize history honestly and to stand with those whose lives were shattered twenty-five years ago. Twenty-five years ago, terrorists sought to change the course of our nation. They sought to break our spirit and destroy our resolve. They failed. Now it falls to our generation to ensure that we never forget the sacrifices made that day, that we honor those who were lost, and that we remain vigilant against terrorism in all its forms. May God bless the United States of America today and always. #NeverForget