First let me say that

9/11 will forever stand out in the minds of our nation's citizens whom experienced and witnessed the horrors of that day. We all remember where we were when the first plane struck, initiating the most devastating terrorist act our nation has ever seen and as much as we try to move on, it is something that will be forever etched in our memories. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives that day. 265 on the four planes, 2,252 civilians in the WTC, 343 firefighters, 23 NYPD officers, 37 Port Authority workers, and 125 civilians and military personnel in the Pentagon. In the days that followed we heard stories that ripped at our hearts as well as stories of extraordinary heroism.

9/11 brought our nation together as we struggled to prove to the world that the bad guys could not and would not win. Since then our nation has gone through its share of changes as 9/11 ushered in a new era for our civilization. Things have not been the same since and they never will be the same again. It is simply a fact. The war on terror is in full force and is a war we'll undoubtedly fight for many years to come. But it is a war that we will win. We must not forget the tragedy of 9/11. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives to an agenda of terror which seeks to destroy the United States and all of its citizens. We've made significant progress since that time. We've managed to help liberate millions of people from a regime which supported oppression and terrorism, we've managed to reformulate our security posture with the development of the Department of Homeland Security, and we've sent a message to terrorists across the globe: You cannot win!

My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones on 9/11. We will never forget.