Nineteen years ago today, I was in New York City, on my second day of grad school, when 9/11 took place.
I remember the fear, the sounds of sirens headed downtown, the F-16s that flew overhead, and later, the sound of the bagpipes accompanying the remains of first responders.
Our country was forever changed by those events, as was my life. This day, 19 years ago, was what started my career in national security. A year later, I was recruited by the CIA to be a Middle East analyst.
Each year, we mark 9/11 by remembering those who were lost. It was a generational event.
But this year, we mark this day in the middle of yet another generational event, the COVID-19 crisis.
We were not the same country after 9/11 –– and it may be quite the same with COVID.
But what I also remember so vividly after 9/11 was the way the country came together in the months after the attacks.
We were united in respecting the sacrifice of the first responders, and in answering the call to come together as Americans.
Today, in a time of division, I hope this anniversary reminds us of lessons from that day: that fear & anger are powerful, but not as powerful as courage & unity. That serving others and our communities is the highest calling.
That our greatest strengths are the ideals we share.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
🧵I went to the Pentagon today with several colleagues for a briefing on Ukraine and what will happen if we fail to support its military. It was the most stark description of the stakes — for both Ukraine and US interests — should we fail to provide more military aid. /1
First, it’s no secret that Ukraine is running short of critical ammunition – artillery shells to hold Russia’s ground forces back, and air and missile defenses to knock down the missiles Russia uses to attack Ukrainian civilians. /2
Russia would be able to strike Ukraine’s cities with ballistic missiles, destroying its economy, damaging critical infrastructure like energy plants, and raising worldwide food prices as Ukraine is unable to export grain that feeds millions around the globe. /3
This agreement, if reached, would be good news – first and foremost for the released hostages and their families, but also for the civilians of Gaza and Israel’s long-term security. Here’s why: 🧵 (1/9)
Since early November, I have called for a strategic pause that would help enable the safe return of hostages, allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza, and give Israel time to think about its strategy. (2/9)
Let’s be clear: there is no equivalency between Israel and Hamas terrorists in how they treat innocent civilians. But, Hamas’ heinous acts do not eliminate Israel’s responsibility to protect civilians. (3/9)
This past week, I spent more time with Arab Michiganders, Muslim Michiganders & Jewish Michiganders, all still feeling very raw about the ongoing violence in the Middle East. But here’s what’s heartbreaking about these meetings: the communities are saying nearly the same thing.
Both feel sick about what’s happening & feel the way they see the world has fundamentally changed; both feel real trauma & anger about what they see on their screens; both feel the press isn’t telling the whole story & that their elected leaders could do more to tell that story.
And in particular, in a place like MI, where we all live in the same communities, go to the same schools, eat at the same restaurants, & visit the same doctors’ offices, there is a feeling of vulnerability to antisemitism & Islamophobia that remains very present for people.
At the end of next week the federal government runs out of money, and we are again at risk of a government shutdown. But as we wait for the new Speaker to lay out a plan to keep the government running, I want to make sure people understand some of the risks of a shutdown. (1/4)
And as the only Michigander on @HouseAgDems, I want to make sure we don’t lose sight of the Farm Bill – a major piece of legislation sets national agriculture and nutrition policy, like federal crop insurance or food assistance for low-income families. (2/4)
It’s a vitally important bill because it ensures we can feed ourselves by ourselves and that Americans don’t go hungry. But, many Farm Bill programs expire on Jan. 1, and if they do, it could be catastrophic for U.S. agriculture, creating food shortages and sky-high prices. (3/4)
Breathtaking events in Russia, & my team & I have been up most of the night watching history unfold. While we’re still watching events in real time, a few things are clear:
First, Russians fighting Russians on Russian soil, which we haven’t seen since the 1991 coup attempt, is born directly from Russia’s failures in Ukraine. Military forces with clear plans, chain of command, & operational success don’t devolve into violence against themselves.
This is the clearest public confirmation of the folly of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. And remember: Wagner, a private military force, was brought into Ukraine & put on the frontlines because of the failures of Russia’s regular military.