Table of Contents
Foreword
Preface
PART ONE Introduction: The Making of
The 9/11 Commission ReportThe Politics of the 9/11 Era
The Creation of the 9/11 Commission
Battles between the Commission and the Administration
The Public Hearings of the Commission
The Commission Report
Shortcomings of the Report
What’s Missing?
Cast of Characters Glossary of Acronyms
PART TWO The Document:
The 9/11 Commission Report Preface
1. We Have Some Planes
Inside the Four Flights
Boston: American 11 and United 175 • Washington Dulles: American 77 • Newark: United 93 • The
Hijacking of American 11 • The Hijacking of United
175 • The Hijacking of American 77 • The Battle
for United 93
Improvising a Homeland Defense
National Crisis Management
The President and the Vice President • United 93 and the Shootdown Order
2. The Foundation of the New Terrorism
A Declaration of War
Bin Ladins Appeal in the Islamic World
Islam • Bin Ladin’s Worldview • History and Political Context • Social and Economic Malaise •
Bin Ladin’s Historical Opportunity
The Rise of Bin Ladin and al Qaeda (1988–1992)
Al Qaedas Renewal in Afghanistan (1996–1998)
The Embassy Bombings 3. Counterterrorism Evolves
From the Old Terrorism to the New: The First World Trade Center Bombing
Adaptation — and Nonadaptation — in the Law Enforcement Community
The Justice Department and the FBI • Legal Constraints on the FBI and the Wall • Other Law Enforcement
Agencies
…and in the Intelligence Community
The CIA • Clandestine and Covert Action • Analysis • Early Counterterrorism Efforts
…and in the State Department and the Defense Department
The State Department • The Department of Defense …and in the White House
…and in the Congress
4. Responses to al Qaedas Initial Assaults
Before the Bombings in Kenya and Tanzania
Early Efforts against Bin Ladin • The CIA Develops a Capture Plan
Crisis: August 1998
A Follow-on Campaign? Covert Action
Searching for Fresh Options
Boots on the Ground? • The Desert Camp, February 1999 • Looking for New Partners • Kandahar,
May 1999
5. Al Qaeda Aims at the American Homeland
Terrorist Entrepreneurs
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed [KSM] The Planes Operation
The Plan Evolves The Hamburg Contingent
Mohamed Atta • Ramzi Binalshibh • Marwan al Shehhi • Ziad Jarrah • Requirements for a
Successful Attack
6. From Threat to Threat
The Millennium Crisis
Bodies Will Pile Up in Sacks • Ressam’s Arrest Emergency Cooperation • A Lost Trail in Southeast
Asia
Post-Crisis Reflection: Agenda for 2000
Afghan Eyes The Attack on the USS
Cole Considering a Response
Change and Continuity
Early Decisions • Starting a Review The New Administrations Approach
September 2001 7. The Attack Looms
First Arrivals in California
The 9/11 Pilots in the United States
The Fourth Pilot: Hani Hanjour Assembling the Teams
Dissent within the al Qaeda Leadership • Moving to Departure Positions
8. The System Was Blinking Red
The Summer of Threat
Zacarias Moussaoui • Time Runs Out 9. Heroism and Horror Emergency Response at the Pentagon
10. Wartime
Immediate Responses at Home
Planning for War
Phase Two and the Question of Iraq
11. Foresight — and Hindsight
Imagination
Historical Perspective • Understanding the Danger • Institutionalizing Imagination: The Case
of Aircraft as Weapons
Policy
Capabilities
Management
Operational Management • Institutional Management • The Millennium Exception
12. What to Do? A Global Strategy
13. How to Do It? A Different Way of Organizing Government PART THREE
Related Documents
1.
Declarations by Usama Bin Ladin, August 23, 1996; May 10, 1997; February 23, 1998
2. From
The President’s Daily Brief, December 4, 1998, and August 6, 2001
3. The 9/11 Commission,
Final Report on 9/11 Commission Recommendations, December 5, 2005
Appendixes A 9/11 Chronology (1978-2005)
Questions for Consideration
Selected Bibliography
Index
