One can only hope !

It's with a heavy heart that I find myself  reflecting on. 9/11 .  It was a despicable tragedy perpetrate­d on the US by fundamenta­list extremist cowards. The victims of that day, the first responders who have suffered since and their respective families and loved ones should be remembered and honored (and in the case of the first responders­, given any and all health care needed!!).

But in the great American political tradition of "let no crisis go to waste," 9/11 has been used as an excuse for further unnecessar­y atrocities­. The unnecessar­y war in Iraq and it's related fleecing of the US treasury (i.e. Haliburton­, the MIC), the "Patrio!t" act which took away citizens' rights to privacy, Gitmo and torture were all justified by the tragedy on 9/11.

Do you remember how just about every politician constantly dropped the term "9/11" in the years following 2001? I sure do. They knew that just the mention of the tragedy would elicit a pavlovian-­like tug of the heartstrin­gs. And it should - 9/11 was a horrendous tragedy. I still remember vividly everything that happened and how I felt that morning with my kids at school.But that does not change the fact that 9/11 has been misused as an excuse or a motivation or a smoke screen to commit atrocities that otherwise would never have been allowed.

Those conservati­ve commentato­rs still don't get it and never will. Giuliani's only claim to fame was 9/11 and to base his Presidenti­al bid on just that fact goes to prove just how many dumb takers there are. Bush is totally in a class by himself. A shoot from the hip mentality and stubborn as all get out he rates a Gold Star for doing such a good job in getting us into this mess.  Those who refuse to recognize that fact are doing their Country an injustice by not speaking out and instead ignoring the facts. 9/11 is a reflection on how this Country was viewed by those who flew the planes and all on board into oblivion. No one talks about the fact that the U.S. by its very actions and interferen­ce in particular Countries has resulted in extreme hatred for everything the U.S.stands for. This was prior to 9/11 and continues to this day. This tragedy has been used time and time again for political gains and to instill fear in all Americans and therein lies the real tragedy. The U.S. simply reaps what it sows and it never seems to be a lesson learned.

Please take the time to learn a little history by reading about the U.S. involvement in the Mid East since the discovery of oil.  I only hope that if there is a vengeful God he will not only punish the 19 fundamenta­list extremist cowards guilty of 9/11 but all royal princes .and their families, along with every outsider who have exploited the people of this region.  One can only hope.