President Bush’s annual proclamation is up at WhiteHouse.gov:
After the devastating attacks on Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared, “We are going to win the war and we are going to win the peace that follows.” In the 21st century, freedom is again under attack, and young Americans have stepped forward to serve in a global war on terror that will secure our liberty and determine the destiny of millions around the world. Like generations before, we will answer history’s call with confidence, confront threats to our way of life, and build a more peaceful world for our children and grandchildren.
I’d like to have faith in our political class as we start this long war but they seem to be failing us and the troops they lead. Our troops have answered “history’s call” with unbelievable confidence, but our nation hasn’t, our political class hasn’t, and our allies (their mostly limited number of soldiers excepted), for the most part, haven’t either. Outside of our troops the spirit of the greatest generation lies mostly dormant.
Similar thoughts from Dan Riehl:
So, no, I’m sorry. As she stands today she has no right to claim the great legacy initiated by the terrible events of December 7, 1941.
I’m not a complete pessimist. I always hope and often believe America will still prevail. But Americans today appear more hell bent on attacking one another as the enemy, than they do uniting for any necessary common good or goal.
And in her angst the sense grows that what we are all doing is waiting … until the next December 7th, or September 11th, so that a once proudly united nation can hopefully look inside, take stock of herself and face an ever threatening world as, simply, one, again.
Hyscience: I join with Dan in scratching my head while wondering what happened to that great country which once had no trouble identifying and destroying its great enemies when attacked.
Related:
Michelle Malkin
Below the Beltway
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December 7th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
“A Date Which Will Live In Infamy”…
Today is the 65th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor and in remembering this day that changed the course of history, I thought it would be interesting to go back and look at the address FDR delivered to Congress……
December 7th, 2006 at 5:31 pm
Reihl’s comments won’t accept any email addresses and is down.
Alot like Pearl harbor and 9/11, the enemy flew right over the radar head that was looking for precisely what happended.
December 7th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Pearl Harbor - December 7, 1941…
With apologies to MK and a h/t to Townhall, I’m stealing this tribute:…
December 7th, 2006 at 9:31 pm
Pearl Harbor Newsreel Footage…
Be sure and check it out at Blogs of War. h/t Hyscience…