On December 7, 1941, the United States military base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, was attacked by Japan. Over 2,000 Americans were killed, ships were sunk, and planes were destroyed.
The attack on Pearl Harbor remains one of the most devastating attacks against the United States, and the decision to take action was swift and deliberate. It was clear that retaliation against Japan was necessary.
On December 8, 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a speech:
Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to the Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.
It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.
The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. Very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.
Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya. Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong. Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam. Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands. Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island. This morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.
Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.
As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.
Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.
I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.
Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.
With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.
I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December seventh, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire.
Roosevelt was responding to a military attack by a sovereign nation, and it was clear that Japan was the enemy.
Sixty years later, when a pack of criminals carried out attacks against the United States by flying jets into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, the enemy wasn't as crystal clear.
President George W. Bush made no speech that is remembers this eight years later, and he took the opportunity to plan a military exercise designed to acquire the natural resources of a sovereign nation for a small number of businessmen (contractors and oil men), while ignoring the fact that the criminals were funded by our allies, and were citizens of countries with which American businessmen (especially oil men) do a remarkable amount of business, especially Saudi Arabia:
Mohamed Atta al Sayed - Egypt
Ziad Jarrah - Lebanon
Ahmed al-Haznawi - Saudi Arabia
Ahmed al-Nami - Saudi Arabia
Saeed al-Ghamdi - Saudi Arabia
Hani Hanjour - Saudi Arabia
Khalid al-Mihdhar - Saudi Arabia
Majed Moqed - Saudi Arabia
Nawaf al-Hazmi - Saudi Arabia
Salem al-Hazmi - Saudi Arabia
Mohand al-Shehri - Saudi Arabia
Hamza al-Ghamdi - Saudi Arabia
Ahmed al-Ghamdi - Saudi Arabia
Waleed al-Shehri - Saudi Arabia
Wail al-Shehri - Saudi Arabia
Abdulaziz al-Omari - Saudi Arabia
Satam al-Suqami - Saudi Arabia
Marwan al-Shehhi - United Arab Emirates
Fayez Banihammad - United Arab Emirates
We also learned pretty quickly that Osama bin Laden (Saudi Arabia) was the mastermind behind the crimes and that the wealth of his family and friends is used to finance his criminal activity.
Knowing what we know and looking at that list makes me wonder why we have not taken any action against Saudi Arabia.
September 11, 2001, was a date that lives in infamy; but, no successful action has ever been taken to punish the perpetrators, their co-conspirators, or financiers.
I think Roosevelt would have been all over Saudi Arabia. I think Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and even Carter would have been all over Saudi Arabia.
But since our government was turned-over to big business during the reign of Ronald Reagan, and has remained in their clutches with the blessings of Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama, our business relationship with the House of Saud is more important to our leaders than is our national security.
When will the United States government hold Saudi Arabia accountable for the role of Saudi citizens in the worst attack on American soil?
Never.
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