September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks
Here are American and world leaders heartfelt comments
immediately after about the terrorist acts against the United States.

President George W. Bush

"Today, our fellow citizens, our way of life, our very freedom came under attack in a series of deliberate and deadly terrorist acts. The victims were in airplanes, or in their offices; secretaries, businessmen and women, military and federal workers; moms and dads, friends and neighbors. Thousands of lives were suddenly ended by evil, despicable acts of terror . . . This is a day when all Americans from every walk of life unite in our resolve for justice and peace. America has stood down enemies before, and we will do so this time. None of us will ever forget this day. Yet, we go forward to defend freedom and all that is good and just in our world." 

Mayor Rudolph Guiliani

"The number of casualties will be far more than any of us can bear."

Secretary of State Colin Powell

Referring to Osama Bin Laden . . . "We are looking at those terrorist organizations who have the kind of capacity that would have been necessary to conduct the kind of attack that we saw on the 11th. We haven't yet publicly identified the organization we believe was responsible. But when you look at the list of candidates, one resides in the region.”

Senate Majority Leader Thomas A. Daschle, D-SD

"The world should know that the members of both parties, in both houses, stand united" in response to the tragedy"

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"As an American and an elected representative, I am outraged. As a husband and a father, I am pained beyond words,”

Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY

 “I was proud to speak to the president yesterday and I assured him ... partisanship, divisions are out the window when it comes to this. He will be our leader, he will come up with the plan. We will have advice and offer suggestions, but once that plan is come up with, we will unite.”

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger

"We have to protect ourselves and I'm sure we will. It cannot be dealt with by one retaliatory blow, it requires a systematic attack against terrorism."

Ted Stevens of Alaska, senior Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee

“I think we need to get people to understand that we're at war.”

Pope John Paul II

“How can episodes of such savage cruelty happen? The heart of man is an abyss out of which sometimes emerge plots of unspeakable ferocity capable of overturning in an instant the tranquil and productive life of a people.”

Iran's President Mohammad Khatami

 “My deep sympathy goes out to the American nation, particularly those who have suffered from the attacks and also the families of the victims"

Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee

“We stand ready to cooperate with you in the investigations into this crime and strengthen our partnership ... to ensure that terrorism never succeeds again.”