The United States will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Saturday with official ceremonies taking place against the backdrop of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, marked by chaos and the return of the Taliban to power. The poignant ceremonies will occur at the three sites where 19 hijackers from al-Qaeda, most of whom were Saudi, crashed American passenger planes, striking symbols of U.S. cultural, financial, and political power, forever changing the world.
The anniversary arrives as U.S. forces have completely exited Afghanistan, but the political disagreements and difficulties facing President Joe Biden overshadow any feeling that a page has been turned. In a video message released the evening before the anniversary, Biden urged Americans to unite, describing it as "our greatest strength." In a six-minute address from the White House, he stated, "For me, this is the main lesson from September 11: In our greatest moments of weakness and amidst the struggles that make us human, in the fight for the soul of America, unity is our greatest strength."
At "Ground Zero" in New York, where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center collapsed, a water memorial has been established. Relatives of the victims will read aloud the names of nearly 3,000 people killed in the attacks in a ceremony starting at 8:30 a.m. (12:30 p.m. GMT) and lasting four hours. There will be a six-minute moment of silence, equivalent to the time it took for the towers to be struck and collapse, as well as the moments during the Pentagon attack and the crash of Flight 93.
Monica Eakin-Murphy, who lost her 37-year-old husband Michael Eakin at the World Trade Center, stated that this year's commemoration would be "more difficult" than usual for many Americans. However, like many survivors, she feels that the intensity of the pain has not lessened despite two decades passing. She told AFP, "I feel like it (the attack) just happened."
A whole generation has grown up since the morning of September 11, 2001. Meanwhile, the founder of al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, was captured and killed. A new towering structure has been built in Manhattan to replace the Twin Towers. Less than two weeks ago, the last American soldiers left Kabul Airport, bringing closure to what has been known as the "forever war." However, the Taliban, which once provided refuge for bin Laden, has returned to power in Afghanistan. In Guantanamo Bay, the mastermind of the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, remains awaiting trial along with four other defendants, nine years after charges were brought against them.
The complete narrative of how the attacks occurred remains classified. Biden ordered the release of classified documents from the FBI's investigation over the next six months.
In "Ground Zero," 2,753 people from various countries were killed in the initial blasts, those who jumped from windows, or those lost in the fires in the collapsing towers. At the Pentagon, a hijacked plane struck the headquarters, creating a firestorm that killed 184 people on the plane and the ground. In Shanksville, Pennsylvania, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field after passengers resisted the hijackers, likely before reaching its intended target, which was the Capitol in Washington.
The White House stated that Biden and First Lady Jill will stop at each of these sites on Saturday to "honor and remember the lives lost." In his recorded address on Friday night, Biden urged Americans to unite as they remember the tragedy. He said, "Unity does not mean our beliefs have to agree, but we must have respect and trust for one another and for this nation."
The president planned for this day to be a pivotal moment in his presidency, which began about eight months ago. However, instead of presiding over moments that reflect unity, Biden will travel across a country that feels discontent over the chaotic evacuation from Kabul, during which 13 American soldiers were killed in a suicide bombing amidst widespread awareness of failure and defeat experienced by the United States.
For the relatives of victims, September 11 is, as always, associated with keeping the memory of their loved ones alive. Frank Siller, whose firefighter brother Stephen died at the World Trade Center, said, "It’s like Pearl Harbor." He added, "The people who weren’t alive don’t carry the same feelings as those who lived through it. But America never forgot Pearl Harbor and will never forget September 11."
