On 9/11 anniversary, Biden recalls American unity and vows vigilance

U.S. President Joe Biden invoked the representation of America's agreed effect to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks by al Qaeda and vowed to "never springiness up" successful the look of violent threats successful a solemn commemoration connected Sunday astatine the Pentagon.

Biden's remarks astir nationalist unity connected the 21st day of the attacks stood successful opposition to his warnings successful caller days astir unsafe divisions successful American society, including that immoderate Republicans who enactment erstwhile President Donald Trump's docket airs a menace to democracy.

"I anticipation we'll retrieve that successful the midst of these acheronian days, we dug deep. We cared for each other. And we came together," Biden said, arsenic rainfall fell connected troops lasting down him, flanking his defence caput and apical general.

Nearly 3,000 radical died successful the attacks, erstwhile al Qaeda hijackers flew planes into New York's World Trade Center towers and into the Pentagon successful Arlington, Virginia, portion a 4th level crashed successful Pennsylvania.

Passengers connected United Airlines Flight 93 overcame the hijackers and the level crashed successful a field, preventing different people from being hit.

The day comes a twelvemonth aft Biden ended the U.S.-led warfare successful Afghanistan, launched 2 decades agone to basal retired the al Qaeda militant radical that carried retired the 9/11 attacks aft plotting them from Afghanistan.

Biden's chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops past twelvemonth and the resulting accelerated autumn of the state to the Taliban drew disapproval from members of some governmental parties.

But Biden vowed that the combat against coercion would continue. "We volition not rest. We'll ne'er forget. We'll ne'er springiness up," helium said.

Last month, Biden authorized a drone onslaught successful Kabul that killed al Qaeda person Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon who had a $25 cardinal bounty connected his caput and helped to coordinate the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The disclosure of Zawahiri's beingness successful Kabul raised questions astir the grade to which al Qaeda is receiving sanctuary from the Taliban.

U.S. subject and quality officials had warned that a implicit U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan could let al Qaeda arsenic good arsenic Islamic State to fortify and, near unchecked, to yet crippled against the United States.

Biden and others argued that the menace from coercion has dispersed passim the satellite implicit the past 21 years, and that determination are amended ways to combat it than open-ended subject deployments and war.

"Our committedness to forestall different onslaught connected the United States is without end," Biden assured.

The archetypal lady, Jill Biden, attended a ceremonial successful Pennsylvania connected Sunday morning, portion Vice President Kamala Harris and 2nd man Doug Emhoff attended 1 successful New York City.

In New York, cardinal moments connected 9/11, specified arsenic the times astatine which each operation of the World Trade Center fell, were marked with a infinitesimal of soundlessness aft the tolling of a bell.

Families of victims of the 9/11 attacks person waited for years to spot respective of the radical accused of readying and assisting the hijackers brought to proceedings and convicted, including self-professed mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and 4 others imprisoned astatine the U.S. subject basal successful Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

On Sunday, Biden told reporters that "yes, determination is simply a program for that" — to clasp the accused plotters accountable — but declined to remark further.