More than two decades after the September 11 attacks, experts have voiced the need for the United States to reflect on its successes and learn from its mistakes in the War on Terror. Bill Roggio, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, believes that despite the U.S. claiming success, the fight against jihadism has grown exponentially worldwide. The War on Terror was launched by the U.S. in response to the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon in 2001, with a focus on central Asia and missions against groups like al Qaeda and ISIS in various countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Syria.
Joel Rubin, who served in the Department of Energy and State Department during the Bush and Obama administrations, highlights the multinational coalition built by the U.S. to combat al Qaeda and establish partnerships in the Middle East. He emphasizes the significance of the War on Terror in countering al Qaeda’s widespread bombing attacks across countries such as India, Indonesia, and Europe. Rubin commends the Bush and Obama administrations for their efforts in preventing these organizations from gaining massive popular support and taking control of countries.
The U.S. has achieved notable successes in preventing major foreign terrorist attacks on American soil, including eliminating key figures such as Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri, as well as dismantling the ISIS caliphate in 2019. However, James Anderson, former acting under-secretary of defense for policy under the Trump administration, acknowledges that while the U.S. declared victory over ISIS, French Defense Minister Florence Parly cautioned that the group was simply “hiding,” indicating that the danger persists.
Roggio credits the improved coordination between U.S. intelligence and security organizations for America’s continued safety and enhanced ability to target individual terrorists. However, he warns that this approach alone is not a comprehensive strategy for success.
Despite these successes, the experts also point out the missteps made by the U.S. One such misstep was the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, which raised concerns about the potential consequences of the ongoing civil war in Syria. Learning from these mistakes and evaluating the outcomes of the War on Terror is crucial for the U.S. as it works towards ensuring the safety of its homeland going forward.