A date which will live in infamy

And how many people remember it today? December 7th, 1941. What strikes me is the parallel the attack has to September 11, 2001.

What is unfortunate is the difference in response.

"Always will we remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounded determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God." - FDR, December 8th, 1941

What have we learned? Even more important, unfortunately, what have we forgotten since then?

It may be 68 years later, and it seems that as a country, as a people, we are but a pale shadow of those who came before.

There is a joke about the French, saying that they should be thankful to the Americans that they don't speak German now. What I'm wondering is, in forty years time, who might we be thanking that we don't speak Arabic?