紀念911之際美國仍受恐怖威脅

Americans paused and reflected Sunday as the nation marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks that left thousands dead and propelled the United States into its longest-ever wars. Somber ceremonies, from New York to Pennsylvania to the Pentagon, were held against the backdrop of a presidential race in which national security is a prominent theme.

The day of remembrance featured reminders that the fight against adherents of radical Islam continues.

"What we face in the context of the global terrorist movement is a long term problem associated with social, economic and political issues across that region and the world, which has created such a widespread radicalization that one group after another has sprung up over the years," said Retired Marine Gen. John Allen on ABC's This Week program.

U.S. officials know the threat has evolved.

“We are safer when it comes to protecting against another 9/11-style terrorist-directed attack from overseas,” Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson told ABC. “We are in a new environment, however, where we have to be prepared against and try to prevent lone wolf-style attacks, the self-radicalized actor.”

The administration's critics want a more muscular U.S. posture on the world stage.

“We're sitting back waiting for the next attack. We should be on offense,” said former New York City mayor Rudi Giuliani.

“We will remember those three very famous words: peace through strength,” said Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at a recent campaign rally. “Nobody's going to mess with us.”

But a modicum of restraint is also required, according to the administration's defenders.

“You've heard Donald Trump say he would order our troops to torture. You've heard him say he would order troops to kill family members of terrorists,” said Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton late last week. “You would know that he is advocating illegal actions against our own laws as well as the laws of war.”

While a ferocious presidential contest exposes rifts in a bitterly polarized nation, the 9/11 anniversary recalls a time when Americans rallied as one.美國人民星期天紀念911事件15週年。2001年9月11日，恐怖分子的襲擊導致數千人死亡，把美國推進一場美國所打過的爲時最長的戰爭。紐約、賓夕法尼亞州和華盛頓五角大樓分別舉行肅穆的紀念儀式。與此同時，正在美國展開的總統競選活動中，國家安全是一項重大的競選主題。

星期天的紀念儀式還提醒美國人民，與激進伊斯蘭分子的戰鬥仍在繼續。

美國退役海軍陸戰隊將軍約翰·艾倫在美國廣播公司的“本週”電視節目中說：“我們在全球恐怖主義的背景下所面對的是一個與社會、經濟、政治議題相連的跨越該地區和世界的長期問題，而這製造瞭如此廣泛的激進主義浪潮，在過去若干年裏一個接一個的組織冒出頭來。”

美國官員知道，恐怖威脅已經發生了演變。美國國土安全部部長傑·約翰遜對美國廣播公司說：“在保衛美國不再遭受另一場911式、受海外指揮的恐怖襲擊方面，我們比以前更安全了，但我們現在處在一個新的環境裏，我們必須做好準備，努力防止自我激進化的獨狼式襲擊” 。

對奧巴馬政府持批評立場的人士希望美國在世界舞臺上展示更多的力量。前紐約市長魯迪·朱利安尼說：“我們正在坐等下一次襲擊，我們應當主動出擊。”

共和黨總統候選人唐納德·川普在最近的一次競選集會上說：“我們需要牢記名言：“實力出和平”“沒有人會再給我們搗亂。”

不過，支持奧巴馬政府的人士認爲，也需要採取適度的剋制。民主黨總統候選人希拉里·克林頓在上週末說：“你們聽到川普說，他將下令讓我們的軍隊施加酷刑。你們聽到他說，他將下令要軍隊殺死恐怖分子的家人。你們就會知道，他在鼓吹非法行爲，即違反我們自己的法律，也違反戰爭法的行爲。”

激烈的總統競選展現了一個嚴重兩極分化的國家出現的裂痕，而911紀念活動令人們想起，美國人民曾經擁有萬衆一心的時刻。