美国人民星期天纪念911事件15周年。2001年9月11日，恐怖分子的袭击导致数千人死亡，把美国推进一场美国所打过的为时最长的战争。纽约、宾夕法尼亚州和华盛顿五角大楼分别举行肃穆的纪念仪式。与此同时，正在美国展开的总统竞选活动中，国家安全是一项重大的竞选主题。
星期天的纪念仪式还提醒美国人民，与激进伊斯兰分子的战斗仍在继续。
美国退役海军陆战队将军约翰·艾伦在美国广播公司的“本周”电视节目中说：“我们在全球恐怖主义的背景下所面对的是一个与社会、经济、政治议题相连的跨越该地区和世界的长期问题，而这制造了如此广泛的激进主义浪潮，在过去若干年里一个接一个的组织冒出头来。”
美国官员知道，恐怖威胁已经发生了演变。美国国土安全部部长杰·约翰逊对美国广播公司说：“在保卫美国不再遭受另一场911式、受海外指挥的恐怖袭击方面，我们比以前更安全了，但我们现在处在一个新的环境里，我们必须做好准备，努力防止自我激进化的独狼式袭击” 。
对奥巴马政府持批评立场的人士希望美国在世界舞台上展示更多的力量。前纽约市长鲁迪·朱利安尼说：“我们正在坐等下一次袭击，我们应当主动出击。”
共和党总统候选人唐纳德·川普在最近的一次竞选集会上说：“我们需要牢记名言：“实力出和平”“没有人会再给我们捣乱。”
不过，支持奥巴马政府的人士认为，也需要采取适度的克制。民主党总统候选人希拉里·克林顿在上周末说：“你们听到川普说，他将下令让我们的军队施加酷刑。你们听到他说，他将下令要军队杀死恐怖分子的家人。你们就会知道，他在鼓吹非法行为，即违反我们自己的法律，也违反战争法的行为。”
激烈的总统竞选展现了一个严重两极分化的国家出现的裂痕，而911纪念活动令人们想起，美国人民曾经拥有万众一心的时刻。
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.
