In the coming days, America and the world will mark the tenth anniversary of the 2001 al Qaeda attacks on the United States. Over the past ten years, these attacks served as a catalyst for major shifts in U.S. defense, foreign and national security policies, including the U.S. approach to South Asia and the Middle East. This tenth anniversary provides a unique opportunity to reflect on how the 9/11 attacks changed U.S. policy approaches over the past ten years – and how they are still shaping U.S. policy decisions today.
On September 8, Foreign Policy at Brookings and NBC’s Meet the Press hosted a discussion focusing on the legacy of September 11, 2001. David Gregory, host of NBC’s Meet the Press, moderated the two-panel session which explored the long-term impact of 9/11 on U.S. interests abroad; relations with Europe, South Asia, and the countries of the Middle East; and the U.S. missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Panelists also discussed the impact of 9/11 within South Asia and the Middle East, examining a decade of change in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran and Syria.
After each panel, the panelists took audience questions.