Historian says 2001 attacks reshaped global geopolitics and security policies
Historian Bruno Cardoso Reis argues that the 2001 attacks triggered a lasting shift in international strategy, security measures and U.S. priorities.
During a program on Rádio Observador, historian Bruno Cardoso Reis reflected on the enduring impact of the 2001 attacks, describing them as a turning point for global geopolitics and security. He highlighted the shift in U.S. focus back to the Middle East, the expansion of airport screening procedures, and the substantial boost to Western intelligence capabilities. While noting the elimination of Osama bin Laden in 2011 and Ayman al-Zawahiri four years ago, Reis warned that Al-Qaeda still operates in the Sahel and East Africa.
He argued that the United States is now less inclined to pursue overtly militarized anti-terrorism campaigns, favoring more sustainable strategies. Reis also stressed that the attacks destabilized the Middle East, leading to protracted conflicts in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, contrary to early expectations of rapid democratization. Finally, he identified two broad lessons: the danger of underestimating small, determined adversaries and the growing difficulty for great powers to achieve swift victories in asymmetric wars.
How this story developed
- Aug 28 Forgotten Lessons of 9/11 Fuel Growing Islamist Influence in U.S. Politics
- Sep 10 The footage begins with Kiernan reporting on weather, local elections and a Whitney Houston concert cancellation before a plume of smoke appears over the North Tower. He then receives a call from witness George Shay, who describes hearing explosions and seeing a large tire on the street. As the broadcast continues, Kiernan announces that a plane has struck the tower, and later confirms a second plane hitting the South Tower, noting the massive loss of life that would follow.
- Sep 10 The city is preparing its traditional memorial service at the former World Trade Center site, which normally includes six silent pauses for key moments of the attacks. This year a seventh pause will be added to honor the thousands who succumbed to illnesses linked to the disaster long after the event. Officials note that many first-responders and survivors continue to suffer health problems, and a long-term health program was created in 2011 to provide ongoing care. Retired police lieutenant Thomas Wilson, who worked at Ground Zero, is among those whose cancers have been attributed to the attacks.
- Sep 11 The ceremony will feature a seventh silent moment for the first time.
- Sep 11 Analyst David Rothkopf labeled Trump’s 9/11 rescue claim a desperate hero myth.
- Sep 11 Donald Trump will join a ceremony at the Pentagon on Friday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
- Sep 11 At the 25th-anniversary 9/11 ceremony, Terry Strada denounced Saudi Arabia for its alleged involvement in the attacks.
- Sep 11 The focus of coverage has moved from the immediate details of the attacks to journalists’ personal recollections.
- Sep 11 Trump chose to speak at the Pentagon ceremony while JD Vance attended the New York memorial.
- Sep 11 Strada asked Vice President JD Vance to relay her message to President Donald Trump.
- Sep 11 Bush shared his 2001 Yankees pitch memory at the Bush Center.
- Sep 12 A new segment was added to the memorial ceremony to honor victims who later died from illness.
- Sep 12 A minute of silence was observed at Ground Zero, with an extra minute added for later dust‑related deaths.
- Sep 14 New York’s Muslim community has organized public prayers in Times Square as a sign of its growing presence.
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