Ahead of 25th Anniversary, Reed Speaks Out on Lessons of 9/11

PROVIDENCE, RI – Tomorrow, the United States will mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks. Twenty-five years after terrorists launched a series of attacks on 9/11 that killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center in New York City, at the Pentagon in Virginia, and aboard a plane that crashed in a Pennsylvania field after being diverted from its target and taken down by heroic passengers who fought their hijackers to death, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) issued the following statement: “September 11 is a day of solemn reflection and remembrance for the nearly 3,000 innocent people who were attacked and killed while going about their daily lives. “Time has passed but the memories of those we lost on 9/11 have not faded. Families were devastated, people felt vulnerable, lives were upended. The attacks stunned the nation, but the American people didn’t give in to fear and hate. “We remember not just the tragedy, but the heroism: first responders and everyday heroes who risked their lives and braved immense danger to save others. And also the sense of unity and resilience: People rallied together. Lives and neighborhoods were rebuilt. “A quarter-century has passed, and we continue to remember, educate, and strive to learn the right lessons from 9/11. “That includes acknowledging and addressing missteps that allowed the attacks to occur and the failures of our response over the ensuing years, including the failure to properly care for those who today still bear physical and emotional scars. And we must never allow the fight against terrorism to be misused as a cover by politicians to pursue ulterior motives. “We must also acknowledge the support and solidarity America received from our allies who rallied to our side – it was the first and only time NATO’s security commitment was ever invoked. “While Al Qaeda was driven from Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden was pursued and taken out years after the attack, those who financed the attacks have not been held accountable. After twenty-five years, President Trump, who has declassified all manner of national records, should declassify key documents. The American people deserve full transparency. “The terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 failed. And it wasn’t because we had the best intelligence or weapons – there are limits to military power and the use of force. But the power of our ideas, ideals, and shared values is central to American greatness and the ability to unite and lead the world. That is what allowed America to overcome and endure. “Today, we must keep America’s promise. We must remain resolute against evolving threats and guard against those who seek to divide America. We are one nation, indivisible, with a solemn duty to uphold liberty, serve as a beacon of freedom and democracy, and pursue justice for all.”