America has forgotten 9/11 by electing Obama?

This op-ed from WSJ is annoyingly dumb. The writer, Bret Stephens who seems to have solid credentials, certainly has a decidedly conservative historical viewpoint that is wholly inaccurate and misplaced in its inferences: From 9/11 to 11/4

In the first paragraph, he makes the claim that the era that Pearl Harbor spawned was brought to a close by the end of the Cold War. From that erroneous thesis, he goes on to argue that 9/11 has already been forgotten by Americans as they are about to elect Obama for president. How so? Because the "War on Terror" is still on, and the terrorists are not "susceptible to transcendence" and will not be "mollified by Mr. Obama's middle name. Nor will Iran be deterred from developing nuclear weapons because a President Obama will restore faith in "brand America." " Huh?

First off, Pearl Harbor drew America into WWII, but it is the ominous climax of WWII by the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan and the subsequent nuclear capability of the Soviets that spawned the Cold War. Pearl Harbor, as far as I see it, has never been nor will ever be forgotten. News flash! We are NOT engaged in a cold war but a very hot war against terrorists in Afghanistan and a misguided war of choice in Iraq. So I wonder if Mr. Stephens is advocating that an escalating war against the entire Muslim world is necessary to truly merit a proper remembrance of 9/11. If so, he must have an insane war-hawk fascination for Dr. Strangelove.

It was al-Qaeda that perpetrated 9/11, and I'd agree with Stephens on his point that 9/11 should be more accurately called an "outrage" instead of a "tragedy," but is it not tragic how so many civilians were killed? It seems that these conservatives will refuse to stop painting with a broad brush. Iraq and Iran did not cause 9/11. The Democrats and Obama understand that al-Qaeda must be rooted out. Don't make some stupid right-wing revisionist historical connection to argue that they will be weak with respect to our national security. How insulting!

Brief Reflection on 9/11, Then and Now

Never forget the fallen of September Eleven
Seven years ago our nation was hijacked
Never again a day like any other day
Not since the Day of Infamy 60 years before.

Unreal images of fireball and smoke
Attack on plutocratic twin monoliths
Attack on a wall of the Pentagon defense
Tearing down our pride, might and arrogance.

Crashed remains strewn on a green field
To save the hallowed institutions of DC
Heroes of United 93 immortalized.
Could I have been as brave in their place?

Necessitating a swift and firm response
Chased the evil-doers to Tora Bora caves
As near to the gates of hell but
Mission remains unaccomplished.

Bearing false witness and
Distracted by uncertain intelligence
We moved lockstep toward Babylon
Marveling the shock and awe
Ignoring the innocent lives lost and fleeing
Proclaiming mission accomplished
As the death toll rises while
The nation turns to issues domestic.

Now at the precipice of a historic election
Looking for solutions at home and abroad
Same old politics reign again
Accusations of dishonesty and distortion.
One promising change for our future
Other now re-branding maverick change.
Follow the aging senator with POW past?
Or believe in the new face of audacious hope?

Who will honor the fallen of 9/11 and hence
Without mendacity, demagoguery and hypocrisy?
Without reckless zero-sum-game machinations?
Americans and the world watch and wonder
As we remember the eleventh of September.