Random Thoughts: 9/11/01 Edition

This is the anniversary of the attacks on New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington, and a field somewhere in Pennsylvania.  Nearly three thousand people died that day.  Now some folks want to make September 11 a national holiday.  The first thing is, didn't we just have a holiday a few days ago?  The second is, isn't this already called Patriot Day?  The third thing?  The attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 that forced America into World War II has never been considered a national holiday.  Why should 9/11 be?
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The nuclear deal with Iran, in which they agreed to refrain from anything close to a weapons program for the next ten years in exchange for easing economic sanctions that have been in place at least since American diplomatic personnel were held hostage for 444 days 35 years ago, is more or less a done deal if you believe the White House.  The Obama administration claims to have enough votes in Congress for the deal to pass, despite vehement opposition from the Republicans and guys like former Vice President Dick Cheney and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

There are flaws in the agreement, to be sure.  Would Iran hold up its end of the bargain inspecting their own nuclear facilities, and making sure none of the money that comes from lifting sanctions goes into allegedly supporting terrorism?  Or are we reading too much into those TV ads opposing the deal?

We are told that this is the best agreement we're going to get.  It won't end the "Death to America" rhetoric coming out of Tehran, but it's a start.  So unless someone else has a better idea besides going to war with Iran, why would Congress want to look more foolish than they already are in disapproving the deal?
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Syrian refugees fleeing a devastating civil war between a despotic dictatorship and a murderous would-be caliphate are flocking to Europe in droves, particularly to Germany, where they are promised a new life.  (Which is quite a contrast from when everybody wanted to escape Germany and its despotic dictator.)  The U.S. has offered to take in at least 10,000 of those migrants per year, but some say it should be more.  So what are you going to do with all those people who through no fault of their own will probably never return to Syria, whether they want to or not?  And doesn't this make the debate about whether to wall off our borders sound a tad ridiculous?
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The Islamic State has been doing a much better job in recruiting youth to their violence-plagued paradise than anyone could have anticipated, as evidenced by all the arrests made on those who attempted to join them.  Somehow all the bombing being done by the U.S. just isn't cutting it, as apparently what doesn't kill the Islamic State seems to make them stronger.
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It's been 14 years since that September morning, and nobody has figured out an adequate answer to the question Why do they hate us so much?  These days it depends on your definition of who hates whom.  Is it anyone who worships at a mosque?  Is it police officers who stop those who are doing anything while black?  Is it government employees who refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because it's against their religion?  Or is it just because?  If you are able to answer these questions and more, be prepared for the fallout.  Because there is no right answer.