On Sept. 11, 2001, 2,974 people were killed in the attacks on the World Trade Center towers in New York, the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and aboard United Flight No. 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania.

We had been living in a blissful state of denial.

Despite the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center, the attack on the USS Cole and the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Africa, the nation reacted in disbelief that we could be the target of terrorism.

On that day, we became a nation at war. Sept. 11, 2001, marked the beginning of our war against terrorism.

Since that time, 436 U.S. servicemen and women have died in Afghanistan.

There have been 4,070 coalition deaths in Iraq – 3,771 Americans.

Our forces have captured or killed many terrorists, yet more seem to rise up against us.

Our nation has become divided on how to proceed in Iraq and Afghanistan, with the War in Iraq becoming more controversial by the day.

But no one was divided on Sept. 12, 2001. We were a nation united by grief. We came together under red, white and blue flags for patriotic rallies and candlelight vigils.

We must again unite with these common goals – to bring our soldiers home safely and show our gratitude to those who have served.

In addition, we must demand that our elected officials make common sense decisions when it comes to protecting us against another terrorist attack.

Let’s find the real enemies and go after them. How can Osama bin Laden continue to make video tapes and have them played on international television, but manage to escape capture? It is time for serious people with real answers to step up to the plate.