Former Officials Reflect on 9/11 Legacy, Criticize U.S. Foreign Policy Response
On the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks, former Jimmy Carter White House speechwriter James Fallows and other commentators are reflecting on the U.S. response and its long-term consequences. Fallows, speaking on 'CBS News Sunday Morning,' discussed how the U.S. 'squandered the goodwill of much of the world' by initiating a war against Iraq, a country he states had no connection to the attacks. He also highlighted the transformation of the U.S. into a 'war machine,' leading to the creation of agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, TSA, and ICE, and the subsequent 'forever wars.' The Bush administration's decision to invade Iraq, despite evidence that none of the 9/11 hijackers or masterminds were from there and the absence of weapons of mass destruction, is cited as a critical misstep. This led to entanglements in Afghanistan and other countries, resulting in disastrous consequences for the U.S. and the world. A report from Brown University, 'Costs of War,' estimates that U.S....
