Biden Attends New York 9/11 Terror Attack 20th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony... Obama and Clinton Also Present

[Photo by EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] On the morning of the 11th (local time), U.S. President Joe Biden attended the 20th anniversary memorial ceremony for the 9/11 attacks held at 'Ground Zero,' the site of the former World Trade Center (WTC) in New York. Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, along with their spouses, also attended the memorial.

Although the memorial event is held annually, this year's ceremony was significant as it marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and took place just 11 days after the official end of the Afghanistan war, which began with the 9/11 attacks. President Biden completed the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan at the end of last month, declaring the end of the war on the grounds that the goal of prosecuting war criminals had been achieved and that no more American soldiers should be sacrificed.

Instead of delivering a speech on-site, President Biden released a video message the night before.

In the video message, President Biden said, "Since the 9/11 attacks, we have witnessed heroic acts everywhere and felt the true meaning of national unity," adding, "What makes us who we are and keeps America at its best is unity." He also emphasized, "Protecting the people will never stop today or tomorrow."

Former President Obama issued a statement saying, "Today, we honor the approximately 3,000 victims who lost their lives on 9/11 and those who have devoted their lives to our country over the past 20 years," and reaffirmed "our promise to uphold the sacred trust with their families."

Former President Clinton stated, "America will never forget those who lost their lives, those who risked their lives to save others, and those whose lives were forever changed 20 years ago," urging that we must come together again with unity, hope, compassion, and determination.

The memorial ceremony proceeded with the entry of the U.S. flag, followed by the families of the victims taking turns calling out the names of those who perished. Last year, due to the pandemic, the names were read from pre-recorded audio, but this year the ceremony returned to the previous format.

Attendees observed a moment of silence at 8:46 a.m., the time when the Boeing 767 crashed into the North Tower of the WTC. The attacks continued with the South Tower (9:03 a.m.), the Pentagon near Washington D.C. (9:37 a.m.), and the crash in Shanksville (10:03 a.m.). A total of 2,753 people died in New York alone, and 184 died in the Pentagon attack, bringing the total number of victims in the 9/11 attacks to 2,997.

Former President George W. Bush, who was in office at the time of the attacks, attended the memorial event in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

In his speech at Shanksville, President Bush said, "After 9/11, I was proud to lead a remarkable, resilient, and united nation. When it comes to American unity, those days seem distant from today."

After the New York memorial, President Biden also attended memorial ceremonies in Shanksville and at the Pentagon, where he laid wreaths.

Former President Donald Trump released a video message on the same day, criticizing President Biden by saying, "It is the 20th anniversary of the (Afghanistan) war, a year that should have been one of victory, glory, and strength, but instead Biden and his clumsy administration surrendered in defeat." Trump visited Ground Zero in New York in the afternoon to pay tribute to the victims and is scheduled to serve as a commentator at a boxing match held in Florida in the evening.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.