Last Tuesday, the United States of America suffered an inconceivable, modern-day assault on humanity. The events shattered our national sense of security. They redefined the illusion of invincibility many of us have come to expect with U.S. citizenship.
Striking at our symbols economic strength and military might, international terrorists unleashed a nightmare of death and destruction. In little more than an hour, life as we know it changed for good. The financial loss is yet unaccounted. The human loss is cannot be calculated.
Having heard from many Iowans during the last week, I'm here today in empathy with you. I also felt overcome by human emotion: horror, shock, anger, anguish, helplessness, grief, sadness, vengeance. But this devastation can't destroy America.
History tells us that we Iowans, and the rest of America, rally when our fellow citizens and country are in need. From the moment the attacks occurred, blood drives, financial contributions, fund-raisers, food and water donations, and volunteer relief came from every state in the nation.
If we look for a silver lining in the cloud of horror that hangs over America, it's one of hope and renewal. Hope that our nation will draw strength from the freedom, liberties and justice that make America the greatest place on Earth to call home.
America looked evil right in the eye this week. And I assure you the United States will hold accountable those responsible for these attacks on American soil. And I mean that in the here and now. The United States will also lead an international coalition of nations dedicated to eradicating terrorism from the face of the Earth. We must root out international and domestic pockets of terrorist activity. That includes any state organizations or government that assists or harbors terrorists.
Barbara and I pray for those who lost their lives, and for those they left behind; for the survivors and their families; for the harmed and injured; and for the legions of rescue workers responding to the call of duty. May they have the strength to cope with immeasurable grief and human suffering.
It's impossible to recover the feelings of invincibility we may have felt just a week ago. But we can regain our confidence and move forward in solidarity. Standing together we can renew our faith in mankind. We can turn Tuesday's tragic events into a common cause of passing along the American spirit to our children and grandchildren. Let's hope our actions lead to a better tomorrow, where peace on Earth and good will towards mankind is not a cliche' but honest-to-goodness reality. God bless America.