As we remember, we should also use this day to rededicate...that is to say, rededicate ourselves to finding the people ultimately responsible for this mass murder. Despite the passage of all that time, bin Laden is still at large, and we don't seem to be any closer to taking him down. That our nation, with its resources and force capability, cannot hunt down a single man is not something we should live with. Recall that in the first months after the attacks, we made great strides against al-Qaeda and their partners in the Taliban. But as we've deployed our manpower elsewhere, so have we lost the focus on what should be the main front in the "war on terror."
Rededication also comes on a personal level. I wrote several months ago that the terrorists' attacks set in motion the chain of events that led ultimately to my enlistment in the Seagoing Military Force. It thus serves as a reminder of the potential effect that a major trauma can have on me. Having already had my life derailed once, I can't and won't allow it to happen again. This applies to the short term as well. No matter what negative turn appears before me - and on the Submersible Death Trap, their frequency is high and their scope is wide - the eyes must remain focused on Goal No. 1. It's only 250 days away. Eight months and eight days. Not even a hockey season and playoffs.
Fuck you, al Qaeda. I'd tell you to go to hell, but you're already headed there. In fact, I'm sure Satan has already reserved seats for you in the eighth circle.
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