The Day that Changed Everything

September 11, 2001,remains etched in the memories of millions. The attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon killed almost 3,000 innocent people, setting off a chain reaction of violence and fear that would last for decades.

President George W. Bush's response to the attacks marked the beginning of the disastrous War on Terror, a campaign that would see US soldiers fighting in areas where the Soviet Union had failed decades earlier.

A Quarter Century of Bloodshed

Over the past 25 years, the War on Terror has spawned countless nightmares, from the invasion of Afghanistan to the Iraq War, and from black sites to drone strikes.

The US has engaged in torture, indefinite detention, and targeted killings, betraying the very values it claims to defend. And out of these horrors came the presidency of Donald Trump, the horrific culmination of our disastrous policies.

The Rise of Donald Trump

Trump was the product of a country warped by endless war, surveillance, and fear. He rode a wave of resentment and nationalism that had been building since 9/11.

Tom Engelhardt, the founder of TomDispatch, reflects on the devastating impact of the War on Terror and the rise of Donald Trump in this poignant and powerful essay.

A Legacy of Betrayal

Engelhardt's essay is a scathing critique of the US's actions in the War on Terror, from the invasion of Afghanistan to the rise of Donald Trump.

He argues that the US has betrayed its own values, engaging in torture, indefinite detention, and targeted killings, and that this legacy of betrayal will be felt for generations to come.

What's Next?

As Engelhardt signs off from TomDispatch after nearly 25 years of commentary,the question remains: what's next for the US in the War on Terror?

Will the country continue down the path of endless war and betrayal, or will it find a new way forward?