The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon were an inflection point in American history, prompting a seismic shift in US military posture abroad and the expansion of the national-security state at home. What lessons—good and bad—did the United States take from that fateful day, and how has the fallout repositioned its place in the world? Here is the best commentary and analysis from the Atlantic Council on the legacy of 9/11 and how the attacks continue to shape our future.

Twenty years after 9/11

The Future of Counterterrorism Project series

US national security experts consider counterterrorism twenty years after 9/11, reimagining the future of avoiding a terrorist threat.

Counterterrorism and great-power competition

Aug 3, 2021

The future of counterterrorism: Twenty years after 9/11

National security experts examine how the United States and its allies and partners must reimagine their counterterrorism strategies to counter the next terrorist threat.

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Counterterrorism and great-power competition

New Atlanticist Sep 10, 2021

Confronting the disaster left behind in Afghanistan

By Mir Sadat

The United States screwed up the endgame in Afghanistan once again, but working with allies and private rescue efforts, there’s time to make things right.
Afghanistan Conflict
Counterterrorism and great-power competition

9/11 – Twenty years on Sep 9, 2021

We have heroes, not avengers: A generation shaped by 9/11

By Caroline Multerer

The children of 2001 are frustrated—but not disgruntled.
Resilience Resilience & Society
Counterterrorism and great-power competition

MENASource Sep 2, 2021

To honor two generations of service members, prevent the next GWOT ribbon

By Caroline Donnal

Today, executive and legislative actions signal a shift: America’s military footprint in the Middle East is shrinking and thousands of troops are coming home.
Afghanistan Iraq

Events

Online Event Wed, September 8, 2021 • 10:30 am ET

The future of counterterrorism: Twenty years after 9/11

US national security experts discuss counterterrorism twenty years after 9/11, reimagining the future of the terrorist threat.
Europe & Eurasia Extremism Intelligence Middle East

Content

Article

Nov 1, 2021

The consequences of a US overreaction to the perceived threat of terrorism

By Christopher Preble

In the twenty years since 9/11, for example, favorable attitudes toward the United States have declined globally, with some of the sharpest declines in key US allies like Germany and the United Kingdom.

Nationalism Politics & Diplomacy

New Atlanticist

Sep 10, 2021

Confronting the disaster left behind in Afghanistan

By Mir Sadat

The United States screwed up the endgame in Afghanistan once again, but working with allies and private rescue efforts, there’s time to make things right.

Afghanistan Conflict

9/11 – Twenty years on

Sep 9, 2021

We have heroes, not avengers: A generation shaped by 9/11

By Caroline Multerer

The children of 2001 are frustrated—but not disgruntled.

Resilience Resilience & Society
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Content

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Counterterrorism and great-power competition

By Nathan Sales

For nearly two decades after the attacks of September 11, 2001, counterterrorism was the United States’ top national security and foreign policy priority. That is no longer the case, as resources and policy maker bandwidth are increasingly shifting to challenges associated with peer and near-peer rivals such as China and Russia.

China Middle East

Article

Sep 7, 2021

An intellectual reckoning on counterterrorism

By LTG Michael Nagata

The time has come for the US counterterrorism community to undertake a difficult and probably painful review of whether the United States’ current practices and investments are sufficiently advancing its strategic interests and policy goals against terrorism.

Security & Defense Terrorism

Article

Sep 7, 2021

The enduring threat of domestic terrorism

By Javed Ali

The Biden administration has rightly prioritized domestic terrorism as the number one counterterrorism concern in the United States.

National Security Security & Defense

Article

Sep 7, 2021

Hyper-tribalism and the US domestic terrorism threat

By Christopher P. Costa

After the January 6, 2021, breach of the US Capitol, the consequences of polarization, disinformation, and hyper-tribalism make domestic political violence the most pressing terrorism challenge facing US counterterrorism.

Nationalism Politics & Diplomacy

Article

Sep 7, 2021

We are in the interwar period

By Thomas S. Warrick

In September 2021, the United States is only in between major terrorist attacks. This prediction should not be controversial—but today this way of looking at counterterrorism is.

Middle East National Security

MENASource

Sep 2, 2021

To honor two generations of service members, prevent the next GWOT ribbon

By Caroline Donnal

Today, executive and legislative actions signal a shift: America’s military footprint in the Middle East is shrinking and thousands of troops are coming home.

Afghanistan Iraq

9/11 - Twenty years on

Apr 15, 2019

NATO Engages: 9/11 and Article 5

By Atlantic Council

NATO Engages 2019 9/11 and Article 5 Speaker: Tim Brown, Retired Firefighter, New York Fire Department, 9/11 Survivor Introducer: Nik Gowing, Founder and Director, Thinking the Unthinkable Location: Washington, DC Time: 3:30 PM EDTWednesday, April 3, 2019 NIK GOWING: Secretary General, thank you very much. And Andrea, thank you very much indeed.

NATO Security & Defense

New Atlanticist

Sep 11, 2018

#StrongerWithAllies: The day NATO stood with the United States

By Ashish Kumar Sen

Since 2001, US NATO allies have lost more than 1,000 troops in Afghanistan. “They died in solidarity with us, for the Alliance and the values it defends,” said Daniel Fried, distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council's Future Europe Initiative and Eurasia Center.

Afghanistan NATO

9/11 - Twenty years on

Sep 5, 2017

Smarter Faster: The power of resilience after 9/11

New Atlanticist

Sep 8, 2011

Ten Years After 9/11 – What Have We Learned?

By Kurt Volker

After a decade defined by the terrorist attacks on the United States, and the reactions and events that followed, one thing is clear:  the global advance of core values –  freedom, democracy, economic opportunity, human rights and the rule of law – remains the best hope for the future of all people.

United States and Canada