September 11, 2001, is, and always will be, unforgettable. But the day will surely come when America and the civilized world will not be reminded of the horror of that day by videotapes released on the Internet by the criminal masterminds of Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, al-Qaida. One day, and may that day be soon, all al-Qaida's known leaders will be eliminated.
As Secretary of State Colin Powell said in an interview Friday with The Associated Press, al-Qaida's top-level leadership has been decimated and the terrorist network's founder, bin Laden, is not showing himself. It was bin Laden's top aide, Ayman al-Zawahri, not bin Laden, who released this year's menacing anniversary message. Bin Laden himself had appeared on the two previous anniversary videotapes.
Both Secretary Powell and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld suggested that bin Laden is lying low to avoid capture. The fact that there has not been an al-Qaida terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9/11 is, as Mr. Powell said, "an indication that we are safer. But we are still in a threatening environment. There are still people who want to strike the United States." He also warned that al-Qaida has "the capacity to regenerate itself," although new leaders would not be as accomplished or experienced as "those who have been taken out."
Columnist Paul Greenberg suggests on our Commentary page today that since flags said so much three years ago, the official Flag Day should be moved hereafter to Sept. 11. That would produce a very different Flag Day because Sept. 11 has so many layers of significance. Certainly it is a day to mark the shining heroism we all saw three years ago that overcame the darkness and has made the sorrow easier to bear. Still, it also is a day of mourning.
But, most of all, it is day of rededication to the task of eliminating the evil masterminds of the atrocities committed against the United States and the entire civilized world. The elimination of al-Qaida will not eliminate terrorism, but it would put a stop to their videotapes inciting other Muslim extremists to commit mass murder. Flying the flag today sends bin Laden and al-Zawahri a message. They will be defeated.
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