In October of 1944, as Hitler was planning his breakout to Antwerp--his last ditch effort to defeat the allied forces--his main problem was how to secure the bridges between Ardennes and Antwerp. To this end, he called upon one of the most dangerous men in Europe, SS Lt Col Otto Skorzeny. Hitler told Skorzeny that he wanted to paralyze the allies long enough to finish developing his terrible weapons that he planned to use against the Allies and therefore win the war.

Hitler ordered Skorzeny to organize and train 3000 loyal brave men to infiltrate the Allied lines and, dressed in American Army uniforms, disrupt the Allied reaction to the German push through the Ardennes. These men would act as spies, saboteurs and spreaders of demoralization. They were to seize and hold the bridges over the Meuse for the main body to cross.

Within two months, Skorzeny’s men were ready. He had taught them how to act American, how to open a pack of cigarettes the American way, how to swear, and how to act “un-militarily”—no heel clicking when coming to attention. They then brazenly entered the American lines with stolen American jeeps and began their secret operation to disrupt and destroy.

There is enough recorded history to show that these men were successful in their operation, directing convoys the wrong way, spreading rumors and lies to demoralize the American GI, even causing Eisenhower’s staff to seclude him for ten days against the possibility of assassination. 

In the end, however, the whole operation became known to American leadership and the Americans searched everyone they were suspicious of. Some of Skorzeny’s men were killed in battle and some were captured. It is not know how many were killed in battle but we do know what happened to 130 of them that were captured and imprisoned. On Dec 22, 1944, all 130 were brought before First Army tribunal and found guilty of “violating the laws of war in wearing the enemy’s uniform behind his lines to deceive and commit espionage and sabotage.” All 130 were executed by firing squad after the trial.

That’s how you deal with the enemy within your borders.

For politicians and other editorialists to continually refer to  9/11 as a "tragedy"  is to relegate the incident to the annals of history like the Johnstown Flood, hurricane Andrew, earthquakes etc.

It is important to understand that words have as much subtle meaning as they do definition.  The definition of a tragedy is “a disaster, either nature caused or human caused."  I submit that I am not arguing that the results of the attack on the twin towers were not disastrous, but I am saying that the term “tragedy” evokes more than that.  It emphasizes the "unfortunate-ness" of the incident.  The word "tragedy" evokes sympathy for the victims, rather than outrage at this attack upon our soil. The picture evoked when a speaker uses the word tragedy is one of “we are so sorry that this happened,” or “ This was so unfortunate”.  For example, I don't think the american public saw the attack on Pearl Harbor as a tragedy.

The twin tower attack was an attack by our enemies on American soil and we act like it is a tragedy. We should act like we were attacked. Even to this day, people speak with sorrow and unhappiness that this happened. Where is the rage and the anger at our enemies. They declared war on us and we cowered down and talked about memorials to the victims.

How pathetic is that.

On June 13, 1942, Coastguardsman John Cullen stumbled upon one of the most outrageous acts of war that, until 9/11, had ever taken place on American soil. During a routine midnight beach patrol along a dark and foggy beach on Long Island, he came across a group of men dragging their boat from the surf up onto the beach. Their responses to his questions, and their subsequent attempt to bribe him with a fistful of money, led him to suspect something dire and dangerous. Without any weapons save a flashlight, he wisely backed away into the fog and ran back to the Coast Guard station for assistance. By the time he and his mates had returned with weapons at ready, the group of men were gone.

John Cullen reported the situation to his commander and subsequently to the FBI. Acting on this information and working quickly and efficiently all the men in “Operation Pastorious”, the code name of the German invasion of America designed to disrupt our industrial capabilities, were captured.

FDR ordered that a military commission hear the case. This was the first such tribunal to be convened since the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865 and was conducted in the strictest secrecy. The prosecution team was headed by Attorney General Francis Biddle and the Army’s Judge Advocate General Myron Cramer. 

The trial took one month and all men were found guilty. Two were sentenced to prison, one for thirty years, and one for life. The other 6 were sentenced to the electric chair, a sentence that was carried out at noon the day of their sentencing.

When the nation is at war, the capture of enemy combatants must be dealt with swiftly and judiciously. Anyone found attempting acts of war within our borders must be dealt with exactly as FDR did.