Freedom is worth fighting for

On September 11, 2001 we learned what happens when evil is allowed to go unchecked.

Throughout the 1990's, Osama Bin Laden attacked the United States, our military, and our embassies around the world. He was behind the first bombing of the World Trade Center, the attacks on our Marine barracks, the USS Cole, and two of our embassies. Each time his thugs carried out one of these attacks, President Bill Clinton gave a speech in which he vowed to bring the people responsible for these atrocities to justice. But in the end, Bill Clinton spent more money and committed more resources to going after Bill Gates than Osama Bin Laden.

If appeasement worked, there would have been no 9/11.

Osama Bin Laden believed that America would continue to do nothing of substance in response to his attacks. Was he ever wrong. America was tired of leaders who didn't lead, and elected a new President who didn't respond to terrorist attacks with half-hearted criminal investigations. Instead, he recognized this as a war which must be fought and won. He is taking the fight to the rocks that these terrorists hide under, and he is systematically dismantling the terror organizations before they can attack us again.

Just as we are endebted to the patriots who fought for our independence and liberty in the past, we owe honor and graditude to our brave soldiers who risk their lives today in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world fighting for the freedom of the oppressed, and ultimately for the preservation of our own freedom. To every man and woman in our armed service: our prayers are with you, we support you, we honor you, we thank you.