Did the Terrorists Win? — Paul D. Miller
Summary
Paul D. Miller argues that while al-Qaeda failed militarily, they succeeded in eroding America’s moral aspiration and global leadership. The author contends that U.S. withdrawal from nation-building and democracy promotion allowed authoritarian powers like China and Russia to expand their influence. Miller criticizes the post-9/11 shift toward isolationism, asserting that abandoning the defense of liberty and equality has made the world less free and stable. He calls for a renewed commitment to American ideals as the foundation of foreign policy to counter global autocracy.
Topics discussed
Introduction and article attribution
The primal hatred behind 9/11 terrorism
Revisiting Bush's 'They hate our freedoms' quote
Analyzing the ideological clash with Al-Qaeda
Al-Qaeda's success in undermining US mission
Assessing who won the war on terror
The indirect link between 9/11 and autocracy
America's bruised emergence from the 'brawl'
Rise of rivals while America pouted
China as the ultimate winner of the era
Critique of 'ending wars' vs winning them
Abdicating moral responsibility in foreign policy
The boring nature of amoral geopolitics
Shift in narrative of American history
Historical illiteracy and lack of moral ballast
Facing dishonor and acknowledging past wrongs
Universal human dignity and national identity
Restoring the free world as grand strategy
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