Biden Honors 9/11 Victims At Pentagon, Recalls Unity, Vows Vigilance

President Joe Biden on Sunday visited the Pentagon to mark the 21-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, remembering the attack’s victims while vowing to stand up for democracy in their honor, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports from the Pentagon.

“We have an obligation, a duty, a responsibility to defend, preserve and protect our democracy,” Biden said, leveraging the anniversary to speak about democracy. “The very democracy that guarantees the rights of freedom that those terrorists on 9/11 sought to bury in the burning fire, smoke and ash.”

For Biden, it’s "not enough" to stand up for democracy once a year or every now and then.  “It’s something we have to do every single day. So this is a day not only to remember, but a day of renewal and resolve for each and every American,” he added.

In his speech, the president also honored veterans who served in wars following the attacks in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. “We owe you,” he said.

Biden also referenced the killings of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in 2011 and his successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, this July, saying the United States “will not rest."

We’ll never forget. We’ll never give up," he added.

Al-Zawahiri’s killing came almost a year after the U.S. withdrew its military presence in Afghanistan as the Taliban retook control of the country. Biden has touted the operation as proof the U.S. can still fight terrorism in Afghanistan without troops on the ground, a sentiment he echoed during his speech.

“We’ll continue to monitor and disrupt those terrorist activities wherever we find them, wherever they exist, and we will never hesitate to do what’s necessary to defend the American people,” he said.

Nearly 3,000 people died in the 9/11 attacks, when al Qaeda hijackers flew planes into New York’s World Trade Center towers and into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, while a fourth plane crashed in Pennsylvania.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.