2005 press releases

Statement by U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey D. Feltman

September 11, 2005

Today I laid wreaths at the graves of George Hawi, Samir Kassir, Basil Fleihan, Rafik Hariri, and his seven loyal bodyguards. On this day—September 11th— a somber anniversary for the United States, I wanted to honor and remember a group of courageous Lebanese, whose voices were silenced by politically motivated murders. As I placed wreaths on each grave, I remembered and honored also, those innocents who were killed or injured, either in these attacks or in the series of bombings intended at halting Lebanon’s march towards sovereignty and independence.

Four years ago, on a sunny September morning much like today, my country came under attack. When the smoke and dust cleared, Americans saw the crumpled heap that was once the World Trade Center in New York City, the wreckage of a jet strewn across a field in eastern Pennsylvania and, mere kilometers from our Nation’s capital, a badly damaged Pentagon.

And on that day—four years ago—Americans learned what the Lebanese have known through tragic experience—that terrorism does not discriminate among race, religion, or national origin. America was the target of the terrorists but Americans weren’t the only victims. On September 11, citizens of more than 115 countries lost their lives, leaving behind devastated families and friends, colleagues and communities. And in Lebanon the families of Waleed Iskandar, Robert al-Dirani, Boutros Girgis al-Hachem and Jude Joseph Mousa, lost one of their own

As U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, I am deeply committed to doing everything possible to see an end—in Lebanon, in the United States and throughout the world—to the senseless acts of violence to promote political ends. My hope is that Americans and Lebanese can work together to eliminate conflict and hate, poverty and despair and instead, build bridges between peoples, forging relationships built on tolerance, mutual respect and understanding

Today, on a day tinged with sadness by the losses sustained by our countries, Lebanon and America, let me re-affirm America’s support for Lebanon and her courageous people. Let me re-affirm America’s commitment to work to ensure that the blessings of liberty touch every man, woman and child in Lebanon, the Middle East and the world. Let us join together to achieve the strong, independent, stable and prosperous Lebanon its people desire and deserve.