America's Time For World Leadership Has Come

With all the anti-war foolishness that has been going on in Washington lately, it seems appropriate to repeat a chronicle that ran on the first anniversary of 9-11. Here goes. The events of 9-11 a year ago changed America's relationship with the world. It thrust us into a position we have always resisted ... and that is the role of the dominant leader of the world. A year ago we were brutally attacked and we lost American lives on American soil. We now know we as a nation are vulnerable to attack, and the world knows we are the only nation in existence that can lead us to peace. On this day, a year ago, we lost 3,011 of our brightest and best, and for them to NOT have died in vain, we have but one option and that is to accept the leadership role of the free world.

That is not an easy position for us to accept. This nation began its history by saying "let Europe fight its own battles." We were oceans apart back then. We were late in entering World War I, and only joined World War II when brutally attacked at Pearl Harbor. We tend to appease other nations, fighting only when pushed too far. And yet we are now the single world power that can enforce peace in the world.

9-11 told us forcefully that we must accept the role of world leader ... that we must become pro-active against, rather than a reluctant reactor to, attacks from tyrants. For America that is not easy to accept, but we now know we must lead or face more tragedies like 9-11. The question is no longer what will happen if we do something; the question is what will happen if we don't. Whether we like it or not, America's time for world leadership has come. God Bless America.

This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.