Ambassador Barry White’s remarks on 9/11 Commemoration

American Lutheran Church, Oslo, September 11, 2011

Good afternoon.

Your Excellencies, MFA Secretary General, Government and Political Officials, ladies and gentlemen and children. Welcome to this commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the horrific events of September 11, 2001. I want to thank the pastor and the American Lutheran Church for opening your house for us today. I want to thank all of you for coming here and helping us commemorate this day.

December 7, 1941 - Pearl Harbor; November 22, 1963 - Dallas, Texas; September 11, 2001 - New York City, Washington D.C. and Shanksville, PA.; and now, July 22, 2011 - Oslo and Utøya. These are, in the words of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, days that will live in “infamy”. These are days seared into our memories. Each of us who lived through those days knows exactly where he or she was, what he or she was doing and what he or she felt upon learning about theses tragic events. For me, the assassination of President Kennedy and the 9/11 tragedies feel like they happened just yesterday, yet in another way, they feel like they happened an eternity ago. These nightmares are timeless. In each case we were awakened from our innocence and the thought that something like that would never happen. We could not comprehend that the world could be so evil, or how we could move forward.

The commemoration of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 is a milestone for the U.S. and Americans around the globe - a moment to reflect on the last 10 years while looking forward. A day to remember those we lost and to stand with their families and their loved ones, whose lives were changed forever in those few moments on 9/11. Our government has designated 9/11 as a National Day of Service and Remembrance in which we encourage Americans to serve in a broad range of service projects across the world.

On this 10th anniversary of our tragedy, we also honor all victims of terrorism from all corners of the earth, including those who have been targeted by Al Qaeda and other extremists, such as Mr. Breivik. Citizens of over 90 countries perished in the attacks of 9/11. Today, we honor and celebrate the resilience of individuals, families and communities from all parts of the globe – from Bali, Belfast, Lahore, London, Manila, Mumbai, Nairobi, New York, Oslo and elsewhere. Al Qaeda and the extremist hijackers of the peaceful religion of Islam and right wing extremists such as Mr. Breivik represent the past, while the street protesters in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and Syria represent the future. We will continue to contrast Al Qaeda and other extremists' visions of destruction with America’s and our international partners’ affirmative support for peace, security, prosperity and universal rights around the world.

On this anniversary, we remember and thank the first responders, the fire fighters, the law enforcement agencies, the state and local authorities, the intelligence community and the diplomats and the troops overseas. We pay tribute to a generation that has borne the burden for our security during a decade of war. More than 2 million troops have served in a war zone; 6200 Americans have given their lives in Afghanistan and Iraq. They have upheld the virtues of service, sacrifice and selflessness that have been the source of America’s strength.

As President Obama stated: “on this 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, we remember that 9/11 was not only an attack on the United States, it was an attack on the world and on the humanity and hopes that we share [...] We remember with gratitude how ten years ago the world came together as one. Around the globe, entire cities came to a standstill for moments of silence. People offered their prayers in churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship. And those of us in the United States will never forget how people in every corner of the world stood with us in solidarity in candlelight and among seas of flowers placed at our embassies.”

We in Oslo saw the same outpouring of affection and support. It was a beautiful and unusual expression of emotion among a similar sea of flowers all over Oslo and throughout Norway and statements of condolences and sympathy and support poured in from all over the world.

As we honor all victims of terrorists in nations around the world, we honor the resilience of the survivors and the families and communities affected as well. We must never forget those lost and we must sustain our resilience and remain united to prevent new attacks and any further victims. Worldwide, terrorists have failed to achieve their goals - individuals, communities and nations have shown they are stronger than fear. Far from being paralyzed by the violent actions of a few, the vast majority of people around the world are focused on pursuing ambitions for themselves and their children, achieving greater levels of education, creating new economic opportunities and improving the systems that govern them. Countries have responded collectively to reduce the threat of terrorism over the last 10 years. We have sharply reduced the capabilities of terrorists groups through the collaborative efforts of the international community. The U.S. remains committed to working with partners around the world to confront and counter violent extremists.

We are very pleased to thank our close ally and partner Norway for its part in the battle against terrorism and its contribution to world peace through its support of NATO efforts in Afghanistan and Libya, and its exemplary peacemaking efforts all over the globe. Norwegians have demonstrated their resilience to the tragedies of July 22. Prime Minister Stoltenberg, along with other members of the government and representatives of all political parties in Norway, has set a courageous example for the Norwegian people and people around the globe. Prime Minister Stoltenberg provided strong support for his country by declaring that “those who try to scare us shall not win [...] We stand united to mourn together and offer condolences to the victims. Norway will not be bombed into silence [...] The answer to violence will be more democracy“. Noted Norwegian author Jo Nesbø wrote in the New York Times that although “there is no road back to how things used to be, to the naïve fearlessness of what was untouched, there is a road forward. To be brave. To keep on as before. To turn the other cheek as we ask: ‘is that all you’ve got?’ to refuse to let fear change the way we build our society.”

When one looks back at the 10 years since 9/11/2001, one inevitably asks what has been accomplished and what lessons have we learned. President Obama’s response is: “working together, we have disrupted Al Qaeda plots, eliminated Osama bin Laden and much of his leadership and put Al Qaeda on the path to defeat. Meanwhile, people across the Middle East and North Africa are showing that the surest path to justice and dignity is the moral force of non-violence, not mindless terrorist and violence. It is clear that violent extremists are being left behind and that the future belongs to those who want to build not destroy.”

Secretary Clinton has answered that “ten years later, we have made important strides. Our government is better organized, our defenses are safer than on 9/11, but we still face real threats, and there is more work to be done”. She added that Americans need “not to be preoccupied by the threats we face,” but rather promote the values of “tolerance, equality and opportunity [...] The United States has thrived as an open society, a principled nation and a global leader, and we cannot and will not live in fear, sacrifice our values or pull back from the world.”

It is the indominatable and regenerative spirit of the U.S. and its people that so encourages me. As President Obama has said "they may seek to strike fear in us, but they are no match for our resilience. We do not succumb to fear, nor will we squander the optimism that has always defined us as a people [...] They may seek to exploit our freedoms, but we will not sacrifice the liberties we cherish or bunker down behind walls of suspicion and mistrust [...] We are not-and never will be – at war with Islam. it was not a religion that attacked us - it was Al Qaeda [...] Those who attacked us sought to demoralize us, divide us, to deprive us of the very unity, the very ideals that make America America — those qualities that have made us a beacon of freedom and hope to billions around the world [...] Like generations before us, let us come together today and all days to affirm certain inalienable rights, to affirm life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

I realize that as we commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11, we face many difficult situations at home and around the world - from serious economic reversals and financial crises, threats to the environment, seemingly irresolvable conflicts around the globe and distressing apparent domestic political paralysis, but it is the indominatable and regenerative spirit and optimism of Americans that gives me confidence that we will conquer our problems. It is in times of adversity such as we faced on December 7, 1941, November 22, 1963, and September 11, 2001, that America and Americans are at their best - we have always demonstrated our capabilities to rise above the seemingly insurmountable crises that we face periodically and make us a better country and contribute to making our world a better, safer, more humane and more prosperous world. We all know that there is evil in this world and that we will continue to face troubles and difficulties, but we must all come together and look beyond blaming a religion or a political ideology or a political party or some external foreign power for our problems. We must work together for a better U.S. and a better world. We must not, we shall not, let these problems deter us from preserving our democracy, our freedoms, our way of life, our efforts to protect lives and human rights and dignity at home and abroad and to provide for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in a world where people live in dignity, freedom and peace.

Thank you.