Bush Warns Against Return to Isolationism, Urges Nation Not to Forget 9/11 Lessons

Marking the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, former U.S. President George W. Bush warned against a return to isolationism and urged the nation not to forget the lessons of 9/11.

According to U.S. broadcaster CBS on the 10th local time, former President Bush made the remarks while reflecting on the 9/11 attacks with former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at his presidential library in Dallas.

The 9/11 attacks occurred about eight months after Bush took office.

He said, "America sometimes goes through isolationist periods, which means not paying attention to the lessons of 9/11."

He added that what happens overseas is ultimately directly tied to national security, arguing that "it is valid for the United States to be involved" in the fight against tyranny.

While noting that "it is not necessary to send troops," former President Bush emphasized, "at the very least, we must stand by their side and support them."

He also said that everyone desires freedom and that he witnessed that fact firsthand in Afghanistan.

Following the 9/11 attacks, former President Bush launched the war in Afghanistan, overthrowing the Taliban regime and supporting the establishment of a new government.

However, the war in Afghanistan dragged on for 20 years, and during the U.S. military withdrawal in 2021, Afghanistan ultimately fell back under Taliban rule.

Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized the Donald Trump administration for failing to take sufficient measures to monitor and deter terrorists posing threats to the United States.

In an interview with U.S. network NBC, Clinton asserted that there had been numerous close calls over the 25 years since 9/11, stating, "The terrorist threat has not vanished; it has merely temporarily subsided."

She stated, "There are still thousands of extremists around the world who want to inflict massive harm on us," adding, "I am very concerned about whether we are neglecting our counterterrorism preparedness."

She also urged the United States to overcome internal divisions and confront threats from state adversaries such as Russia, China, and Iran, as well as non-state actors like terrorist organizations.

She pointed out that President Trump has been paying excessive attention to projects like building a White House ballroom while neglecting counterterrorism preparedness.

Clinton criticized, "If you are more interested in building a ballroom than in gathering intelligence coming out of Afghanistan, that cannot be called rational decision-making."

She further expressed concern that the Trump administration is dismantling the federal government, including the State Department, which has traditionally evaluated terrorist threats and gathered intelligence, effectively blinding and deafening the United States.

(Photo: Getty Images)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.