Remembering 9-11
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September 17, 2013 |
By Congressman Raul Labrador
On September 11, I joined my colleagues on the
Capitol steps to honor the thousands of
Americans who were killed in the terrorist
attacks twelve years ago.
There were so many heroes that day – in New
York, the Pentagon and Shanksville,
Pennsylvania. There were so many acts of courage
and sacrifice.
I truly believe that the most important lesson
of 9/11 is the strength and character of the
American people.
As George W. Bush said in the day’s aftermath,
“These acts shattered steel, but they cannot
dent the steel of American resolve.”
Twelve years later, with Osama bin-Laden dead
and Freedom Tower towering over the New York
skyline, those words proved prophetic.
But we should never forget that war comes with
terrible costs. We should only go to war when
it’s in our national interest, and when all
other options have been exhausted.
I was one of the first members of Congress to
sign a letter to President Obama demanding that
he get Congressional authorization before taking
our country to war. We eventually got 140
Members to sign it.
With opposition growing, the President
eventually decided that it would be better to
seek Congressional authorization. It was
expected that Congress would vote on
authorization last week, but progress on the
diplomatic front pushed the vote off
indefinitely.
Now, there is new hope for a negotiated
settlement – one that keeps us out of war, while
keeping our brave servicemen and women out of
harm’s way. We could not allow the president to
take action there without a proper debate in
Congress.
The President did eventually agree to get
authorization from Congress, and I have
commended him for taking a deliberate approach
for military action in Syria. But the debate
over Syria is far from over.
I am opposed to the use of military force
against Syria at this time. I gave the
Administration a chance to make their case, but
they couldn’t make it. Nothing they said changed
the fact that we are not the police force of the
world, we don’t have a compelling national
interest in Syria, and it’s doubtful that an
alternative government in Syria will be better
than the current one.
After our experience in Iraq, I couldn’t think
of anything worse than putting our brave service
members in harm’s way to police a civil war in a
place where we have no vital interests. Better
options are available, and we should use them.
We owe it to our heroes in uniform to never
commit them to battle unless it’s done with
careful deliberation. This principle was
reinforced a few weeks ago while I was attending
a Boise Philharmonic concert with my wife, Becca.
The theme of the evening was Americana. We heard
beautiful renditions of the music of Aaron
Copland, John Phillip Sousa and others.
One of the most beautiful pieces was the Hymn to
the Fallen by John Williams from the movie
Saving Private Ryan. As I was listening to the
music, I could not stop thinking about the many
men and women who had given their lives in
defense of our country and ached for them and
their families. I also thought about those who
could lose their lives if we got embroiled in a
conflict in Syria.
As I was leaving the concert, a woman approached
me. She sheepishly asked if she could just take
a few minutes of my time. I, of course, agreed
to talk to her. She looked me in the eye and
said emphatically, "Congressman, please promise
me that you are going to do everything you can
to keep us out of Syria. I am the mother of a
young soldier who returned from Afghanistan and
he is no longer the same. My husband served in
the military and I am a veteran. We have no
business in Syria; we don't need to get involved
in their sectarian battles. I beg you, keep us
out of Syria.” In the days that followed, I
could not get her voice out of my head. Because
of families like hers, all members of Congress
have a moral responsibility to deliberate and
ponder about our current situation in Syria.
With the twelfth anniversary of 9/11 having just
passed, and with the debate over Syria
continuing, I want to thank all members of our
armed forces. I also want to thank the kindly
woman I met at the Boise Philharmonic concert
who took the time to share with me her heartfelt
and sincere thoughts about our current
situation. I am grateful for the sacrifice so
many families like hers have made for our
nation. God bless! |
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