WHY THE BLOOD OF VIGILANCE FLOWS FOR THE FREEDOM OF ALL

GROUND ZERO PLUS 1096 DAYS,--New York, NY, Friday, September 10, 2004--There are those who refute that the war in Iraq was a war against Terrorism.

The Sentinels of Vigilance consider Terrorism a reason to spill blood to protect the Children of any land

These critics are quick to lambaste the current administration for engaging in what they call an illegal war, one based on lies and deceit. They further claim that the 1,000 plus American lives have been lost in vain.

They do not ask the 2,948 Sentinels of Nine Eleven who died on September 11, 2001 what they think.

If they were courageous enough to dig up the souls of the victims of Nine Eleven and place them in a Town Meeting, they would be shocked to find that those who died consider any and all forms of Terrorism worthy of spilling blood to protect the children of any land from the Fear, Intimidation and Complacency that Terrorism breeds.

Iraq was a nation ruled by Terrorism. The vestiges of that Terrorism still exists.

What Iraq represents today is not just a retaliation against those who planned and executed the Terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, but a much broader and inclusive example of Vigilance.

Vigilance is not discriminatory.

If America were to limit its moral duty to defend only certain nations from the threat of Terrorism, it would be like a parent choosing to only stop someone beating on a child if that child fit a certain demographic.

America has, throughout its history, spilled barrels of Vigilant blood in countless nations and far distant lands for far less reasons than the current war in Iraq.

But that's not the point.

What would the Sentinels of Vigilance say to America's presence in Iraq?

Would they cheer or jeer?

The 2,948 souls who died on Nine Eleven gave their lives to shock the world to face up to Terrorism

Those 2,948 souls who died on the second Tuesday of September 11, 2001 gave their lives for a reason. The reason was to shock the world into facing up to the bully Terrorism represents in all four corners of the earth.

America led the charge despite all the critics attempting to thwart the invasion of Iraq. Toppling Saddam Hussein was symbolic. It told the rest of the Terrorist world that America was not afraid to go anywhere and fight anyone who directly or indirectly threatened the children of America, or for that matter, the children of the world.

The attack on the World Trade Center was not just an attack on America, but an attack on virtually every country. Nearly 500 foreigners died that day representing 91 different nations.

The attack on the World Trade Center was an attack on the world. It was an alert that any nation and all citizens were targets of despots who would, in the blink of an eye, destroy the innocent to further their own cause.

The toppling of Saddam put the world on notice that America is not afraid to fight anyone, anywhere for the Children's Children's Children

Saddam Hussein was one of the world's great Terrorists. His fame as a leader who would rape, torture and maim his people was known to all four corners of the earth. His voracious appetite to invade other nations and dominate the Middle East was also well known. Plus, there was evidence he would be willing to use weapons of mass destruction to kill--as he did thousands of his own people.

Every Terrorist in the world looked up to Saddam Hussein who flaunted his power and thumbed his nose at the world. He refused the United Nations weapons inspection teams access to his country. He boasted of his desire to rule the Middle East and attempted to assassinate former President Bush.

It might be one thing to capture Osama bin Laden and drive his decapitated head down the shaft of a large pointed stick and parade it around the world as evidence that America could indeed hunt down and capture a Terrorist, but Osama's head was just one of many.

No one had, in modern times, deposed a tyrant of another nation. No one had attacked Terrorism's core until American, after exhausting its efforts to seek support in the United Nations, gathered a few bold nations to show the world that tyrants cannot hide behind national boundaries--not when they Terrorize their own people and threaten to Terrorize all others the same way.

Saddam flaunted his power and thumbed his nose at the world

The reluctance of nations to use full frontal force against Terrorism is evidenced in Russia. Attempts to placate the Terrorists with non-violent negotiations has resulted in more Terrorism. When Terrorists believe they can get away with their violence, they create more and uglier violence.

Attacking a school and using children as shields validates the endless thirst Terrorism has to ravage anyone in its wake. But, when the core of that Terrorism is crushed, another signal is sent.

America's crushing of Saddam Hussein sent a fierce signal to Kim Jong Il of North Korea. The North Korean leader prior to the assault on Iraq was rattling his war swords, trying to Intimidate the world with his threats of nuclear weapons. He was sure no one would dare challenge him.

Now, he's not so sure.

The same is true of countless Terrorists around the world who understand that if they attack anything American, or under America's protection or allegiance, that the full frontal force of America's wrath will descend upon them.

What would the victims of Nine Eleven have to say about a nation that is willing to spill its blood for Vigilance?

The victims of Nine Eleven would cheer a nation that is willing to launch a War on Terrorism while the rest of the world did nothing

Did those who died on September 11, 2001, discriminate against their murderers because they belonged to a certain cell, or tribe, or group? Or did they consider them simply "Terrorists," as an inclusive description for anyone who will indiscriminately kill innocent women and children as Saddam Hussein did when he gassed tens of thousands of Kurds?

Would the victims of Nine Eleven cheer the fact that America was one of the few nations in the world brave and courageous enough to launch a War On Terrorism while the rest of the world sat about twiddling its thumbs, or would they boo that effort?

I have always considered the role of America in the war aginst Terrorism as setting an example to the Bully of Terrorism--whomever and where ever he exists--that if he dares to attack or otherwise threaten the security of America or its allies, that every ounce of retaliation available will be used to hunt such Terrorism to the ends of the earth.

I also believe the Sentinels of Vigilance--those who died on September 11, 2001--rally in support of any and all efforts to nullify the Fear, Intimidation and Complacency the world has previously shown to Terrorism.

Hundreds of thousands of Russians in Moscow and throughout the country recently protested against Terrorism while only a few months prior Russia refused to join the United States in a stand against Terrorism in Iraq

The attack on the Russian school children furthers the belief that Terrorists in that part of world haven't yet learned that nations will force the highest penalty upon those who endanger their children.

America did not wait for its children to be attacked.

Russia's lack of support against the War on Terrorism may have been a signal of weakness to Terrorists who considered its policies "soft" and therefore felt that by attacking children in a school, the message of Fear, Intimidation and Complacency could leverage their demands.

But the Russian people have shown another side. Hundreds of thousands of them protested in Moscow against Terrorism, while only a few months prior, Russia refused to join the United States in a stand against Terrorism in Iraq. The people of Russia, based on the bloody bodies of their children, have stood up against Terrorism.

The insanity of the critics of America's efforts in Iraq claim that there is direct evidence linking Al Queda to Saddam Hussein, and, as a result, we have no right to be in Iraq and the deaths of 1,000 Americans have been lost for no sound, justifiable reason.

These same people forget that Saddam Hussein provided a $25,000 reward to any martyr who strapped a suicide bomb on and blew up himself or herself while killing innocent people in Israel.

If Saddam Hussein wasn't the premier Terrorist, then who was? Osama bin Laden, it has been said, was a mere puppet, a figurehead of Terrorism being orchestrated by much stronger forces who fed him money, weapons and resources.

At the best he was the capo of Terrorism, not its don.

Saddam Hussein was the don of Terrorism. By tracking him down and cornering him in a spider hole, America proved its willingness to emasculate Terrorism even at the risk of alienating the other nations who would have preferred to endorse Saddam's sadistic tactics under the veil of soverignship.

America has spilled the blood of a thousand warriors in Iraq to prove to the world that the Blood of Vigilance is not being wasted

America has spilled the blood of a thousand warriors in Iraq to prove to the world that the Blood of Vigilance is not being wasted. The world watches daily as America maintains its commitment to fight Terrorism, not just in Iraq, but throughout the world.

Nothing would serve the World of Terrorism better than to have America withdraw from the War on Terrorism with its tail behind its legs, whimpering and whining. Sadly, there are those in this nation who promote such a tactic, arguing that our economy is more important than the War on Terrorism.

They will argue against the War On Terrorism until the next Terrorist attack that kills their children, or their loved ones, and then they will rush to Pennsylvannia Avenue as the Russians did in Red Square to protest Terrorism.

America has sacrificed 1,000 young men and women in Iraq. For what? What did they give their lives for?

Perhaps they gave their lives for school children in Russia. The attack on that school was what our troops die to avert. They are dying to protect the children from Terrorism's fangs.

The blood they spill in Iraq has had some detrimental effect on Terrorism in the United States. There has not been an attack on America since September 11, 2001, and a major part of that reason is the blood of 1,000 Americans in Iraq.

Terrorists thinking about attacking the United States know that our nation's crack forces will hunt them down like mad, rabid dogs and make them pay for their crimes.

That fact alone has been ignored by the critics of the War On Terrorism.

They see our troops dying in waste, and promote that to anyone foolish enough to listen to their bile.

What they don't see are the thousands of lives the troops have saved by warning any Terrorist who dares to attack America that they will die by the scores to avenge any deaths.

The Nine Eleven Sentinels of Vigilance know the blood spilled by Americans in Iraq is the Blood of Vigilance

Bullies fear Courage, Conviction and Right Actions. Terrorists are bullies, and only respect those who will stand up to them and fight them to the death.

The Sentinels of Vigilance who died on September 11, 2001 know the blood spilled by Americans in Iraq is the Blood of Vigilance.

They honor each warrior's death, for they know the difference between a Beast of Terror and a Sentinel of Vigilance. One attempts to destroy the safety and security of the children and the future, and the other restores and reinforces it.

So, on this Eve of Vigilance, when there is much consternation over whether American deaths in Iraq have any legitimate purpose, let me assure you that the Sentinels of Vigilance salute all who have given their lives in the War on Terrorism.

They know the Blood of Vigilance is the nectar of peace and security for the Children's Children's Children.

The Sentinels of Vigilance welcome those who died in Iraq and Russia to the Circle of Vigilance

And, they welcome the 1,000 Americans who have died in Iraq to the Circle of Vigilance, along with the 350 who died in Russia last week. They all hover over their respective Ground Zeros, reminding the world that only by standing up to Terrorism--all types, sizes and kinds--will the Beast of Terror ultimately be driven into oblivion.

The Blood Of Vigilance flows for the Freedom of all--especially the Children's Children's Children.