On September 11, 2001, at 9 AM, we had a staff meeting as normal for a Tuesday. It was a warm, late summer day with an endless blue sky in Arlington, VA that morning with no hint that we would always remember the day. I worked in the Pentagon.
One of our support staff came into the conference room across the hall to tell us about the plane hitting the World Trade Center. Those of us who knew people there immediately started searching for news of the attack, only to discover the second plane had struck. I was sitting in my cubicle, eating a sour cream donut I had purchased on the way in that morning, when the plane hit. I was on the “D Ring.” (The Pentagon is really five concentric pentagons called “rings” A through E from inside out.) The plane hit the E ring on the southwest side of the building — I was on the northeast, about as far as one could be from the strike. In fact, many of the offices hit had recently been renovated and were still empty, otherwise the death toll would have been higher.
At first, I had no idea what happened. The first thought was, “Oh, no, they hit here too.” Followed by, “That’s silly paranoia; they’re doing construction, and they probably took out a big wall.” Within a few seconds, I knew I was incorrect and something was very wrong. The PA system advised us to get out. I secured my classified and left the office. I had no idea what had happened yet.
The first thought was, “Oh, no, they hit here too.” Followed by, “That’s silly paranoia; they’re doing construction, and they probably took out a big wall.” Within a few seconds, I knew I was incorrect and something was very wrong. The PA system advised us to get out. I secured my classified and left the office.
Ironically, my wife knew more. She was in a meeting on the prestigious 7th floor of the State Department from whence one has a beautiful view of the Pentagon to the south. People in the meeting had a perfect view when the plane struck and could see the large column of smoke growing in the blue sky. “Doesn’t your husband work there?” one asked helpfully.
Back in the five-sided building, I was heading for the exit. As I walked, I saw several people who had been closer to the attack with minor injuries, some blood, and a large number of people waking out in a calm and orderly manner. One said, “This is an act of war. It’ll mean more than Tomahawks this time.”
My wife was getting on edge. She was unable to reach me before she was ordered to evacuate. In the minds of leadership, if the Pentagon were hit, all of the federal government was at risk, even Congress. The orders were to shut it all down. In the State Department of 2001, middle rank Foreign Service officers did not rate cell phones, so she was unable to call until she was well on her way home and found a pay phone. We were, at that time, in temporary housing not far from the Pentagon, so it took my wife much longer to get home than it did me, but several hours later, our family was together.
The day ended less happily for many other families, and I will not forget the professionalism shown by the first responders running toward the crash site as I walked away.
I will not forget the professionalism shown by the first responders running toward the crash site as I walked away.
Before September 11, I had been asked to join State’s counter terrorism task force that was working on plans to prevent terror attacks in the U.S. By then, I had already agreed to the job in the Pentagon, so I could not accept. If I had, perhaps I could have helped prevent the tragedies, but probably not. The new Bush administration was months behind the curve, thanks to the confusion surrounding the 2000 election, and unready to make decisions. The general feeling in the Pentagon though was that we were better off with the Republicans in charge as Democrats, particularly those of the Clinton administration, were too indecisive. I wonder if the same perception persisted after two decades of wars.
The September 11 attacks were a tragedy caused by a small number of deranged individuals, who unfortunately got what they wanted when the conflict they started expanded through the Middle East region. It has remained unstable even a generation later. Successive administrations have addressed the problem purely as a military one. Instead of providing additional resources to diplomatic efforts, they have deployed diplomats in support of military operations at great cost, but to little effect. It is past time we learned from our mistakes.
