March 16, 2007
Khalid Sheik Mohammed has reportedly confessed the obvious: he was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks. The Pentagon released a transcript of his statement at a military hearing held at the Guantanamo Bay, Cuba detention facility. KSM, as he’s known, confessed to a lot more things, including the 1993 bombing of the world trade center and as many as 60 other plots to kill Americans, none of which occurred, but not for lack of trying.
You should read his statement. It is chilling. He says he’s sorry 3,000 Americans were killed, especially children, but “the language of war is victims.”
I don’t know why it is that we need to be constantly reminded of the continuing threat before us. This is a religious and political war for control of the world. Our fanatical Islamic enemies will go to any length to kill Americans, ruin our economy and destroy our way of life. They say so. They have proved so.
Sometimes I worry that our level of commitment is not nearly as strong as theirs. Too many have convinced themselves that 9/11 was an aberration. I see it as a preview of coming attractions unless we take their threat seriously.
Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist based in Washington, D.C.
