Ten years ago, 2, 997 people lost their lives at the hands of 19 Islamic hijackers wielding four airplanes as weapons against the towers at the World Trade Center, at the Pentagon, and at a field in Pennsylvania. We are heavily invested in two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of that attack. Neither of those nations were the prime supporters of the hijackers. While those wars may be justified (or not), and ultimately successful (or not), we have a job left undone … probably due to pathological political and religious correctness. The “good news”, such as it is, is that the real enemy of Western civilization, Islam, does not suffer from political correctness, and will attack again, and again, until we wake up and wipe that problem off this planet. Of that latter solution, I am sure (someday).

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Our deepest condolences to the families and units of these fallen warriors:

• Spc. Christopher J. Scott, 21, of Tyrone, New York, died Sept. 3 at Kandahar province, Afghanistan of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with small arms fire.
• Pfc. Christophe J. Marquis, 40, of Tampa, Florida, died Sept. 4 at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Landstuhl, Germany,of injuries sustained Aug. 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
• James W. Coker, 59, of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, was pronounced dead Sept. 5 in Kabul, Afghanistan, while on temporary assignment with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Spc. Kevin R. Shumaker, 24, of Livermore, California, died Aug. 31 in a stateside hospital of a non-combat related illness.
• Cmdr. James K. Crawford, 50, of East Concord, New York, died Sept. 7, as a result of a non-combat related incident in Manama, Bahrain.
• Spc. Koran P. Contreras, 21, of Lawndale, Calif., died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device Sept. 8 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
• Pfc. Douglas J. Jeffries Jr., 20, of Springville, California, died of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device Sept. 8 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
• Sgt. Bret D. Isenhower, 26, of Lamar, Oklahoma, died Sept. 9 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
• Spc. Christopher D. Horton, 26, of Collinsville, Oklahoma, died Sept. 9 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
• Pfc. Tony J. Potter Jr., 20, of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, died Sept. 9 in Paktia, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit with small arms fire.
• Petty Officer Brian K. Lundy, 25, of Austin, Texas, died while conducting a dismounted patrol in Marjah, Helmand province, Afghanistan, on Sept. 9.

First, Happy Birthday to Pete! I’ve tried to call a couple of times, but no joy. So here’s where it is, when you have time!

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Next, the duty. Our condolences to the families and units of these fallen warriors:

• Spc. Douglas J. Green, 23, of Sterling, Virginia, died Aug. 28 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device and small arms fire.
• Pfc. Alberto L. Obod Jr., 26, of Orlando, Florida, died Aug. 28 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered during a vehicle roll-over.
• Sgt. Devin J. Daniels, 22, of Kuna, Idaho, died Aug. 25 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. Colby L. Richmond, 28, of Providence, North Carolina, died Aug. 25 in Helmand province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his vehicle using an improvised explosive device.
• Spc. Dennis James Jr., 21 of Deltona, Florida, died Aug. 31 from wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device in Wardak province, Afghanistan.

Our condolences to the families and units of these fallen warriors:

• 1st Lt. Timothy J. Steele, 25, of Duxbury, Massachusetts, died Aug. 23 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.
• Sgt. Andrew R. Tobin, 24, of Jacksonville, Illinois, died Aug. 24 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when enemy forces attacked his unit using small arms fire.
• Pfc. Brandon S. Mullins, 21, of Owensboro, Kentucky, died Aug. 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.
• Pfc. Jesse W. Dietrich, 20, of Venus, Texas, died Aug. 25 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries sustained when insurgents attacked his unit using small arms fire.
• Spc. Michael C. Roberts, 23, of Watauga, Texas, died Aug. 27 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan, of injuries suffered when insurgents attacked his unit using an improvised explosive device.