A 9/11 Family Member Reflects On Usama Bin Laden's Death
By Bradley Blakeman
FOXNews.com
President Obama's announcement Sunday night that
Al Qaeda leader Usama
Bin Laden has been killed is a just
conclusion to the life of a man who brought so
much hate and hurt to America and the world.
This event should be a lesson to other terrorist
cowards that seek to harm us and our allies. The
lesson is this: if it takes our country 10
minutes or 10 years justice will be done.
America is at our best when we are tested as a
nation. Whether tests come from competition in
the marketplace, the challenges of innovation
and invention, the fight of war or the tragedy
of terrorism, America will always prevail.
America's greatness
does not come out of arrogance, superiority or
the exercise of super power; it comes from our
freedom, diversity, education, tolerance,
charity, goodness and the rule of law.
September 11, 2011 marks the tenth anniversary
of the most horrific terrorist attacks on our
homeland in our history.
As we look back at what happened on that
terrible day we now at least now have some
measure of closure -- and it is this -- that the
mastermind of those attacks had been brought to
justice by the USA.
On September 11, 2001, I lost my nephew: Senior
New York State Court Officer Thomas Jurgens.
Tommy was a first responder who died while
rescuing people from the south tower of the
Trade Center along with fellow NYS Court
officer's Captain Harry Thompson and Senior
Court Officer Mitch Wallace.
Harry and Mitch died too.
Tommy's remains were
never found. The only items of his that were
recovered were his mangled badge and melted gun.
He was just 26 years old and married only 3
months.
As someone who was a member of George W. Bush's
senior staff on September 11, 2001, I can
attest, first hand, to the resolve of President
Bush and our government to bring those
responsible for 9/11 to justice during his
tenure.
President Obama and our government deserve a lot
of credit for keeping that resolve alive in
spite of the time that went by since the attacks
and getting Bin Laden once and for all.
I know my nephew is resting more peacefully now
that Bin Laden has been brought to justice.
God Bless America!
Bradley A. Blakeman served as deputy assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001-04. He is currently a professor of Politics and Public Policy at Georgetown University and a frequent contributor to Fox News Opinion.