Beloved singing legend Tony Bennett has apologized for suggesting the United States caused the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York.
During a recent appearance on Howard Stern’s radio talk show, 85-year-old Bennett said, “Who are the terrorists? Are we the terrorists, or are they the terrorists? Two wrongs don’t make a right”, referring to the U.S wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, adding, “They flew the plane in, but we caused it. Because we were bombing them, and they told us to stop.”
Following the interview – originally intended to promote Tony’s upcoming Duets II album, which includes performances with Lady Gaga and the late Amy Winehouse – Bennett’s remarks were widely circulated in the media where they received numerous harsh criticisms.
In response to the negative buzz that his interview caused, Bennett, a World War II vet and self-proclaimed pacifist, took to Facebook to clarify his remarks:
“There is simply no excuse for terrorism and the murder of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims of the 9/11 attacks on our country. My life experiences — ranging from the Battle of the Bulge (in World War II) to marching with Martin Luther King — made me a lifelong humanist and pacifist, and reinforced my belief that violence begets violence and that war is the lowest form of human behavior.”
Tony continued, adding a direct apology to the families of the victims of 9/11:
“I am sorry if my statements suggested anything other than an expression of my love for my country, my hope for humanity and my desire for peace throughout the world.”
To hear Tony Bennett’s controversial 9/11 remarks during his interview on the Howard Stern Show, watch the clip below:
