9/11 Five Years Later: Successes and Challenges
Abstract
In the aftermath of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the President led an historic transformation of the Government, improving its ability to protect and defend the Homeland, its citizens, and its installations and interests abroad. As a result, the U.S. Government is now better informed of terrorist threats, with improved intelligence collection and analysis painting a more complete picture. It also is better organized to address the threat, with a more robust information sharing capability and a greater capacity for coordinated and integrated action. The United States, with its partners in the Coalition in the War on Terror, has made significant strides against al-Qaida, its affiliates, and others who threaten it. The U.S. Government has uncovered and eliminated numerous threats to its citizens and those of its friends and allies. It has disrupted terrorist plots, arrested operatives, and captured or killed senior leaders. Collectively, the U.S. Government has made progress in constraining the ability of al-Qaida and like-minded terrorist groups to operate and survive. The U.S. campaign against the global terrorist network has been consistent and exhaustive. Through the United Nations, the United States has changed the international culture with respect to terrorism, seizing and freezing terrorists finances, promoting the criminalization of terrorism and related acts, and setting forth frameworks for legal and law enforcement efforts to combat terrorism and to promote systems that deny safehaven to terrorists. Since the September 11 attacks, America and its allies are safer, but they are not yet safe. The enemy is evolving and adapting its tactics. The U.S. Government has serious challenges ahead, including defeating the enemy, denying safehaven, combating violent extremist ideologies, protecting the homeland, securing WMD, and building partnership capacity. It must continue to strengthen and adapt its strategy and capabilities over the long term.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA459382
Entities
Organizations
- Executive Office of the President of the United States