W also wish to express our unreserved admiration for the members of the New York fire and police departments and other emergency services who lost their lives with such amazing courage and uncalculating selflessness. Who can forget how they climbed up the stairs of the doomed Twin Towers past the office staff as they made their way down to safety.
The unimaginable, uncalculating heroism of that day in New York was, is and will continue to be of another order where debate falls silent, where only praise is heard and where the only feelings are those of wonder and compassion.
In their death, they were not divided.
They were swifter than eagles.
They were stronger than lions.
(2 Samuel 1:23).
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anamacha dílse.
Heddwch i'w llwch.
May they rest in peace.
However, one can and must be critical of certain aspects of United States policy in today's divided world.
The launch of the war against Iraq in the face of worldwide opposition marked the opening of a new and sadder phase in the history of the relations between the USA and the rest of us.
Many people recall the years when the USA was the welcome and admired leader of the free world but feel deeply disappointed, even alarmed, as an erstwhile role model turns into a selfish one man band.
The USA no longer seems to consider itself to be necessarily bound by any international laws, treaties, usages or customs and sees itself as being solely concerned with looking after its own interests while leaving the rest of us to flounder in a leaderless world.
This attitude was clearly expressed by President Bush during his speech in New York on September 11, 2004 when he made it abundantly clear that his only concern in relation to international terrorism was that it posed a threat to America. He gave no indication whatsoever of being in any way concerned about other potential targets.
It all amounts to a tragic failure in the case of the most powerful and influential country in the history of the world.
Beslan School, September 3, 2004.