“To the American people I say:

Do you remember the good old days when Americans were enjoying the blessings of security and peace? When the word ‘terrorism’ was rarely invoked, and when you were oblivious to any threats? I remember a time when you could purchase an airline ticket from the classified section of your local or college newspaper, and use it even though it was issued to a different name because no one would bother asking you for an ID before boarding a plane. No long lines, no elaborate searches, no body scans, no sniffing dogs, no taking off your shoes and emptying your pockets.

You were a nation at ease.

But America thought that it could threaten the lives of others, kill and invade, occupy and plunder, and conspire without bearing the consequences of its actions. 9-11 was the answer of the millions of people who suffer from American aggression. And since then America has not been safe. And nine years after 9-11, 9 years of spending, and nine years of beefing up security, you are still unsafe even in the holiest and most sacred of days to you, Christmas Day.

…

The simple answer is: America cannot and will not win. The tables have turned and there is no rolling back of the worldwide jihad movement.

…

I for one, was born in the US, and lived in the US for 21 years. America was my home. I was a preacher of Islam involved in non-violent Islamic activism. However, with the American invasion of Iraq and continued US aggression against Muslims, I could not reconcile between living in the US and being a Muslim, and I eventually came to the conclusion that jihad against America is binding upon myself, just as it is binding on every other able Muslim.” Anwar al-Awlaki, “Message to the American People,” Global Islamic Media Front, https://archive.org/details/AwlakiToUsa.