Ambassador
James B. Cunningham

Biography

Speeches

Ambassador James Cunningham
Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Interdisciplinary Center
9/11 Memorial Ceremony
Thursday, September 10, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.

Ambassador James Cunningham Institute for Counter-Terrorism, Interdisciplinary Center (Photo Credit: Matty Stern/U.S. embassy Tel Aviv)

Professor Davis, Minister Landau,  Professor Reichman, Mr. Shavit, Dr. Ganor, MK Dichter and Dr. Beckstein.

I want to thank IDC for inviting me to join you at this important conference again this year, and to participate in this remembrance of the victims of terror from September 11, and worldwide. 

As some of you know, I have an intense and personal connection to September 11.  Eight years ago, I was the Acting Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN, and had been since the beginning of the Bush Administration.  I saw the second plane plow into the Twin Towers on TV in my office across the street from the UN.  I spent the rest of the day on the phone with people in NY and Washington trying to understand what had happened, why it had happened, and determining what our first reactions would be. 

At the same time, as putrid black smoke darkened a beautiful NY sky, I was listening to US Air Force fighters flying cover over Manhattan, and to the sirens of the heroic police, medical services and fire personnel rushing to the scene – a scene which no one could really at that stage comprehend.

By September 12, the magnitude of the destruction and the casualties – more than 3,000 from over 90 countries – had become clearer.  At that moment in history, citizens of many nations had become New Yorkers, directly affected and horrified by the death and destruction caused by Terror. 

America of course had suffered terror attacks before, as had Israel and many other around the world.  But September 11 was qualitatively different in both symbolism and impact – a massive attack on the values and a way of life most of us aspire to. 

In my remarks to the General Assembly on Sept. 12, after Kofi Annan made the absolutely correct decision to re-open the UN despite the chaos in and around Manhattan, I told the assembled representatives of every country in the world, “Because this attack struck at all of us, it is right that we should work toward a coalition to defend our shared values against terrorism... We owe to (the victims) and ourselves swift action to find those responsible and bring them to justice...”

That work began in the following days.  Because it was important to make concrete the international impact of the attacks, and the need for an international response, I asked Mayor Giuliani, who was directing the rescue and recovery efforts, to invite Secretary General Annan to visit the scene.  He agreed immediately, and I will never forget our visit to the still smoldering ruins of the Trade Center.   The site quickly became a shrine of sorts, a symbol of both tremendous sorrow, and of determination to work together to attack terror. 

Eight years later, that is the work that many of you are doing, and that this Conference has been doing.  The United States will not relent in its determination to defeat terror across the globe.  We need partners, and their commitment, as well.  Unfortunately, this is a long term task.  While terror is proximate and real for many around the world, including here, for many others it is not a clear and present danger – until it happens to them.

I believe remembrance is important.  I am grateful to those Israelis who have commemorated all the victims of 9/11 with memorials and parks throughout Israel.  I commend those who help remember the global victims of terror.  We must not allow our resolve to be weakened by the passage of time. The fight will be long, but it must be won.  I thank all of you who are joining Americans, and others around the world, in that fight.