Colin Powell in the October GQ.

Here's an appropriate quotation today, highlighted by S.V. Date in The Florida Politics Blog:

On the sixth anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, comes a fascinating take on terrorism from one of the most respected military men (and a Republican) in America, former Secretary of State Colin Powell.

In the October issue of GQ, Powell — who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the first Iraq War in 1991 — says this:

“What is the greatest threat facing us now? People will say it’s terrorism. But are there any terrorists in the world who can change the American way of life or our political system? No. Can they knock down a building? Yes. Can they kill somebody? Yes. But can they change us? No. Only we can change ourselves.”

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