9/11

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, killed nearly three thousand Americans, led to two major wars, and redefined the contours of U.S. foreign policy. 

 

CFR continues to examine the legacy of 9/11, and offers selections from its archive of coverage. 

Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Guantanamo Bay: Twenty Years of Counterterrorism and Controversy

Article by Jonathan Masters

The U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has generated intense debate for two decades, raising enduring questions about national security, human rights, and justice.
Sep 9, 2022
The U.S. military detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has generated intense debate for two decades, raising enduring questions about national security, human rights, and justice.
Sep 9, 2022
How 9/11 Reshaped Foreign Policy
This timeline traces three pivotal years following the September 11th attacks.

Timeline by James McBride Aug 31, 2021

How the Terrorism Threat Changed
CFR’s Bruce Hoffman assesses the successes and failures of the U.S. counterterrorism response after 9/11 and explains how the threat has shifted in the past two decades.

In Brief by Bruce Hoffman Aug 12, 2021

The World 9/11 Made
For Project Syndicate, Richard Haass examines the ways in which the 9/11 attacks changed history.

Article by Richard Haass Sep 10, 2021

Seven Resources Debunking 9/11 Conspiracy Theories
Even as the smoke was still rising from the ruins of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in September 2001, conspiracy theories sprang up blaming the attacks on anyone but al-Qaeda.

Blog Post by James M. Lindsay Sep 1, 2021

  • Intelligence
    The FBI’s Role in National Security
    The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been reoriented toward counterterrorism in recent years, but continues to face charges of overreach.
    Backgrounder by Zachary Laub June 21, 2017
  • United States
    What the 9/11 Lawsuits Bill Will Do
    Congress overrode a presidential veto to enable the families of 9/11 victims to sue Saudi Arabia in U.S. courts. But the law will be a thorn in U.S. foreign relations, and plaintiffs will not likely get justice. 
    Interview with Zachary Laub and Stephen I. Vladeck September 28, 2016
  • United States
    Debating the Legality of the Post-9/11 ‘Forever War’
    The Authorization for the Use of Military Force, passed by Congress in the immediate aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks, has been cited by the Bush and Obama administrations as sanctioning far-ranging military operations. Four scholars offer their perspectives on the AUMF’s legacy fifteen years on.
    Expert Roundup by Zachary Laub, Michael J. Glennon, John B. Bellinger III , Elizabeth N. Saunders and Samuel Moyn September 1, 2016