America After 9/11: Rajiv Chandrasekaran (interview) | FRONTLINE

Rajiv Chandrasekaran served as the national editor of The Washington Post and is the author of “Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone” and “Little America: The War Within the War for Afghanistan​​.”
The following interview was conducted by FRONTLINE’s Jim Gilmore on May 23 and June 16, 2021. It has been edited for clarity and length.
This interview is being published as part of FRONTLINE’s Transparency Project, an effort to open up the source material behind our documentaries. Explore the transcript of this interview, and others, on the FRONTLINE website: www.pbs.org/wg...
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[@frontline]

Portions of this interview with Rajiv Chandrasekaran appear in “America After 9/11,” an epic, two-hour re-examination of the decisions that changed the world and transformed America. WATCH THE FULL DOCUMENTARY: kzbin.info/www/bejne/h2bMc6uslsSjo5o

[@901handyman]

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[@901handyman]

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[@901handyman]

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[@901handyman]

M.j. M.j .. . . . . . . . M.j M.j . . . . . ... . M n. . . .. . . .. . . . M .

[@BillStreets_1723]

43:45 the world thought a black man would go against mostly all white political views.

[@salvatrooch6537]

I aspire to communicate as clearly and calmly as this man does. Great interview !!

[@justmyopinion9883]

Mr Chandrasekaran has a very good understanding of geopolitical politics and history. Thank you for this enlightening interview.

[@dp26385]

Great video. Frontline is now as good or better than 60 Minutes. It’s also commercial free which I love.

[@PeaceFan1]

60 Minutes Australia is SOO Much Better than our 60 Minutes in America!!!

[@MrCurcio99]

Watch 60 minutes tonight…a brilliant look at The New York fire department during 9/11 and today..amazing Compilation of stories

[@dp26385]

@@MrCurcio99 , Thanks for the heads up. I will watch it now.

[@countershorts745]

DP I see you everywhere with the same comment😅👍

[@mistieblue9]

Very very bright guy! How could we thank you Sir for the time you take to inform us! I’m so very thankful to you Sir! The moment that like tonight don’t happens to many times! Im from Montreal! Congratulations for all your very good answers!🙏❤️👏

[@marthashartzer6669]

The entire world lost people in the World Trade Center, but our first responders lost the most because they performed their duties to try to help others in need. First Responders as well as our Military Troops are our heroes. We honor them for their sacrifices.

[@fredlomeda8318]

They are nothing but collateral damge in the never ending war of USA.

[@marthashartzer6669]

@@fredlomeda8318 I am sorry that you believe that. I have grieved the death of individuals who risk their lives to help others, as well as First Responders and our military troops around the world. Everyone needs to be remembered for their sacrifices to an honorable cause, whether in war or peace times, but especially during war. No one is ever collateral damage when defending or helping others.

[@Haymiller7222]

I agree to this day the Iraq invasion/war makes no sense!

[@pilotactor777]

Was all about oil.

[@MK8308]

Great speaking skills, great political analysis, great details and names memory, and great fairness.

[@NURREDIN]

If you know anything about the Middle East,and have relatives there,you'd know the seeds of 9/11 were sown in 1932,when the people of the Arabian peninsula wanted the democracy that T.E. Lawrence promised the people,and was denied by the British,The French and the United States.Instead of allowing democracy on the peninsula (where just like Saddam's Iraq 85% of the population is SHIITE not Sunni) ,the three Western powers put SUNNI monarchies and dictators in power. Hoover put the murderous Saud family (the originators of Daesh(ISIS,ISIL) that the Turks had stopped) back in charge of what is now "Saudi Arabia". The British and the French cut up the peninsula into Monarchies,so the West could control the flow and price of the peninsula's oil. BP and the British created the "kingdom" of Kuwait by cutting it out of Iraq because they thought that was where all of Iraq's oil was(which is why Saddam tried to regain the stolen land and oil).In 1972, the forerunners of the Taliban asked Nixon for help in getting rid of their king and Nixon refused (just like Truman refused to help Ho Chi Minh in 1948 in getting the French out of his country).Fast forward to 1979 when the "Neo-Ikwhan" formed a revolution (financed by the Ben Laden and Kashoggi families),captured Mecca,Medina,Jidda and were marching on Riyadh when Jimmy Carter,the British and the French stopped the revolution. The Neo Ikwhan fighters went to Afghanistan,changed their name to the "Mujahedeen" to help the Taliban fight the Soviets. After the defeat of the Soviets,they changed their name one more time to "the home base" (Al Qaeda in Arabic) dedicated to getting rid of all monarchies in the Middle East. The Taliban were still mad at us for not helping in 1972,and allowed Al Qaeda to train and plot revenge in Afghanistan.THAT is how we got into the mess we're in today.

[@drewtheceo9024]

Frontline has picked up their doc game. Very nice. Aside from picking sides this needs to be talked out in its entirety so we can lay to rest this and move forward from it in a way of progress. Whatever that may mean.

[@ricebowl3]

this man speaks truth thank you frontline, This guy for 2024!

[@FlosBlog]

Why do Americans always want to elect every guy who can form a sentence (and some who cannot I suppose)? :D

[@ricebowl3]

Lesson is war is bad we are too cocky let’s chill and be smart listen and stop being military frat boys

[@PeaceFan1]

We All Came together after 9/11 and Now we all Hate each other!!! SO SO SO SAD!!!!

[@fredlomeda8318]

911 is remake of Pearl Harbor to stir hatred and start a war.

[@moha786]

Good information as well as interview! Impressed 👍

[@christinemichele2318]

Great interview. Thank you.

[@raymond3803]

Yes! Great! Front Line wants to do a 1 hr 30 min interview with you entitled ....... *_"Soviet Union after Chernobyl"_* Miss Xhris - _"But, I wasn't there when it happened. I wasn't there after words. I wasn't on the same continent for 6 months"_ Doesn't matter. Dumb clams will love it.

[@fredlomeda8318]

Pres. Ronald Reagan talking about EVIL EMPIRE which is AMERICA.

[@franksmith6351]

Good interview.

[@shannonvanscotter8481]

"Times are difficult globally; awakening is no longer a luxury or an ideal. It’s becoming critical. We don’t need to add more depression, more discouragement, or more anger to what’s already here. It’s becoming essential that we learn how to relate sanely with difficult times. The earth seems to be beseeching us to connect with joy and discover our innermost essence. This is the best way that we can benefit others." - Pema Chodron (From Pema's book When Things Fall Apart)

[@Caperhere]

Which country is flirting with fascism now?

[@dividedconquered3784]

😬

[@ryanduray1]

@@dividedconquered3784 Username checks out 🤘

[@ryanduray1]

Flirting with fascism? The US has been on it's knees deep throating fascism for a while now saying "govern me harder, daddy!".

[@Caperhere]

@@ryanduray1 I was being polite.😊

[@kj636]

'inside greenzone' and 'little america'.. read his two books. Excellent.

[@dividedconquered3784]

They started building this plane along time ago, Bush's dad use to work with Saddam Hussein!! We have done this over and over in many Countries and Fail everytime!!

[@adventurewithkids]

The word Peace and War is still a mystery to mankind as no one seems to know how to deal with it

[@Ayyaz711]

I really feel for the families of the troops who lost their lives because some politicians couldn’t mind their own business

[@charlesleger6787]

Front line be impressing me alot lately. Im almost becomin a fan

[@andreeaalexandru7811]

Finally someone fair and with good knowledge. So far I only saw bias on these post 9/11 interviews. He should have still mentioned the military industrial complex.

[@joko09010]

Excellent interview.

[@marthashartzer6669]

If the truth is told, Russia left behind studies of the minerals and precious metals in the Afghan mountain range, valued at $1 Trillion. Afghan people found these and hid in various homes for 10 or so years. When USA troops began helping the people, they pulled these out and presented engineering studies to either American Contractors or Troops who valued them at $3 Trillion. Who knows, it could be a source of income to the Afghan people or Government, but the problem is that country does not have roads and railroads to allow extraction. They would either have to access the Chinese Silk Road to the east or get it to the north and to the west across another country. The Taliban made about $250 million last year in taxing or tolling anyone who wanted to pass through their areas. No infidels in their country now, no more tolls. They will depend upon International Humanitarian Aid for how long? I fear for the women and children in Afghanistan

[@charlesmartin1121]

I am hearing a lot of factual errors from this journalist. We DID deploy Delta Force to Tora Bora (we didn't deploy enough regular forces to cover the escape routes). And there is no such place as the Tora Bora Mountains. Tora Bora is an area in the White Mountains, also called the Spin Ghar Mountains (in Pashto), in Nangarhar Province. At this point I stopped viewing this interview.

[@jagatdave]

Yes...agreed...funny part is...some indian origin guy who and whose forefathers have never fought for abrahamic religion is giving his Pundit gyan!!! The whole interview is joke...

[@jagatdave]

Plus one more thing...this guy..rajeev Chandrashekharan may call himself USA citizen with indian roots...that is wrong statement . Chandrasekaran surname is from dravidian land while india is a word derived from indus river...so DNA wise...this guy is a dravidian cultured guy settled in USA....how funny it is that he is giving lecture about middle east while his ancestors have never done any business with middle east or europeans...

[@jaredlewis8689]

I heard something about America being different and more negative after 9/11 and being 23 it’s weird because I’ve never known America, pre-9/11.

[@judekincer1059]

The 90's seem like a mythical age these days. There was this overwhelming sense of optimism that reflected in the music and art of the time that simply can't be recaptured. The worst part about the post 9/11 era isn't that the world lost faith in us. It's that we lost faith in ourselves.

[@luzalgarin9518]

This will leave you speechless, in awe of how wonderful it is: Promises are made by a king or 'governor' who not only has the power to fulfill those promises, but has the desire to fulfill them, according to Isaiah 9: 6, which says: "Because a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us; and the government will be in his hands. He will be called by his name Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." His kingdom will never be defeated or replaced, according to Daniel 2:44, which says: "In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will establish a kingdom that will never be destroyed or passed into the hands of any other people. This kingdom will shatter and put an end to all those kingdoms, and will be the only one that will remain forever. . " Unmatched, right? Well, there are more blessings ...

[@luzalgarin9518]

Soon the promise recorded in Revelation 21:3, 4 will be reality by means of God's kingdom: "With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: “Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.”"

[@ese3go]

This is so brilliant and it confirms what I have believed all along. American imperialism will die and the rest of the world will be thankful. The US will be left behind to the benefit of the world.

[@teddyraffudeen7056]

Don’t be naive. Some other imperial powers are waiting in the wings. I’ll name two. China and Russia. What’s good about them? How many hundreds of thousands are lining up to enter them the way they want to come to the USA? If you’re honest, you know the truth. Because the political systems in those two countries are very brutal. You can argue they’re not imperial powers. But that’s where you’re wrong. Wake up.

[@odinponzi9224]

Is a full documentary coming?

[@nobrenobre1]

It was really true in Indonesia, I was there in October, and after few weeks you can see many people with T.shirt with the face of Osama too support him, they were shocked about U.S. reply. But we have to remember that that time Indo was at their first few years in democracy, who has defeated one of the best American Allies!

[@MaryRose007]

Really? Only 300 people watching?

[@marthashartzer6669]

9 hrs into and 9065 viewings, this is Tuesday morning the rooster has not crowed yet, on 09/07/2021 2:07am ET after a Memorial Day weekend.

[@jlaphi1]

what surprises me is no comment about oil knowing that Iraq has the third largest world reserves

[@samsen3965]

Yes yes and I get it. It's the sad anniversary of that dark day, 9/11. But let's forget that as I doubt if this can ever be repeated but get real and tell me how to prevent another January 6th?

[@stephanieadams3747]

@Chalmers Is that supposed to be a threat?

[@tomusmc1993]

You prevent another January 6th by allowing people to speak, have a back and forth discourse about how we reconcile our differences and acknowledge our agreements WITHOUT shouting down, name calling and demonizing people who aren't in agreement. We actually need to be adults, and it has to be done by people who truly want to fix things. We have neither of those things right now. It won't come from our "leaders" it will have to come from us.

[@ollyd6206]

@@tomusmc1993 The problem is that some in your country still have a brain washed attitude, mixed with arrogance .. All empires fall every 100 years, this time its the Americans turn .. "stand back and stand by". Wasted trillions $ on wars, now in debt.. while the biggest empire slowly took over the world. They have Already moved into Afghanistan pledging deals on infrastructure and trade.. The east is rising, not through aggressive force, but with trade and partnership.. with strings attached f

[@tomusmc1993]

@@ollyd6206 I'm sure there are people in any population that are knuckle heads (for whatever reason) you still have to account for their voices, let them be heard without ridicule or judgment. I would guess that those people that you think are brainwashed think something very similar about you, and I'm sure you don't think you're brainwashed. We can't just keep marginalizing people we don't agree with. That pushes people out and if they feel they aren't part of the system they will feel inclined to do as they please as there is no other recourse.

[@HayaJi]

Thank you

[@hamzamalik9705]

Is it true building 7 went down despite any plane crashing into it ???

[@Arbo3000]

You know Google?

[@slimofey990]

Yes

[@ryanduray1]

Yes. Building 7 went down like a free fall demolition. I think the official story says a small fire created the collapse. Nothing suspicious about that! Just remember to take your shots.

[@ucfqb]

@@ryanduray1 You’re right. There is nothing suspicious about a building collapsing after a different, 110 story building (that’s already on fire) falls on top of it

[@ricebowl3]

forget Post 9-11 let’s look pre 9-11 and ask ourselves why the hate and attack us in the first place? hello dummies!

[@stephanieadams3747]

Read "The Looming Towers". It provides a very comprehensive background.

[@TheLadyrose01]

Why they hate us? Because of the continuous meddling and invading in the middle east

[@vee985]

Yes, why would we turn our sights on Iraq? It doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense to the public, but to those on the inside it makes perfect sense.

[@DARKNIGHTMM]

9/11 came bk into the limelight after Afghanistan. Lets admit it, everyone in Afghanistan including the dog on the street that america's exit was gonna be a dame mess.

[@markosf09]

The edits with the frame changes are horrible. Someone should go back to film school.

[@royalukas8144]

Why did the interviewer not ask the question, who (name, please) let OBL go from Tora Bora? Who did that?

[@ucfqb]

Rumsfeld

[@routineparticular7104]

Am I the only one who doesn't care at all that Guantanimo Bay is open?

[@W_Bin]

10:48 specious excuse. There is provision under the normal law to seal evidence on the court file.

[@concernedcitizen2766]

Who’s to blame for all of this? You guessed it, Frank Stallone!

[@markcampbell7577]

The perpetrators entertainment center was interogation enhanced.

[@Matt85USA]

Let's all just get together and all get stoned man. ✌ ☮ spread the love and good vibes ❤

[@marthashartzer6669]

Actually, we need to right America. We seem to be at odds with ourselves. We need to pull together, welcome our troops home to their families. And, we must understand that these Afghan refugees were the ones that either acted as interpreters during the day or guarded our troops while they finally were able to sleep. Many of our troops have the same interpreters again and again over multiple tours in Afghanistan. Many of these refugees are fluent in multiple languages and multiple skills, they are a true loss to the Taliban, like a brain drain when the 13 countries assisted us in the evacuation and 12 other countries agreed to accept the refugees into their countries.

[@yahwea]

still propaganda

[@W_Bin]

8:28 There was a parralell. The Moscow bombings 2 years earlier.

[@pilotactor777]

What values??? The uSA hasn't got any.

[@ciscovilla4277]

Alexander The Great, The Mongols, Genghis Khan and many other Great Warrior nations have tried and Epically failed on Pacifying Afghanistan Now what would make the U.S any different this time around

[@mauricehustles]

Exactly

[@arifq123]

"don't tread on me" is what Afghanisthan looks like

[@brandongreen5884]

A while back there was a gentleman that came on a particular "forum" claiming that he had worked at a "high-level" position in the "government" that stated that there was "reliable evidence" that "those in the know" were "fairly certain" that barring a "Nuclear conflict" the United States could "militarily defeat" this ENTIRE PLANET IF THEY ALL WENT TO WAR WITH THE U.S AT THE SAME TIME!

[@dp26385]

@@brandongreen5884 , I guess that person’s statement hasn’t aged well.

[@dp26385]

Patriotism and passion turned into arrogance in Washington, DC. The moment that happened is the moment we lost.

[@JE-mj8yz]

1:18:50 When he points out that Iran has more influence in Iraq than the U.S. does is concerning even more so because we paid for it in blood & treasure.

[@W_Bin]

12:30 another specious excuse. It is presidents responsibility to the people of America to KNOW what is being done.

[@charlesleger6787]

REMEMBER 0 ACCOUNTABILITY 0 JUSTICE 0 HUMANITY AMERRRRRriCA FuCK yeaaaa!!!

[@keli4068]

I cannt believe this guy is a journalist. He has information. He either cannt get the question's point or cannt give key information.

[@teaburg]

AT least Uday didn't get to be successor in Iraq.

[@yadwindersingh7468]

I think Saddam would have liked Qusay to succeed from what i have read. off topic anyway.

[@jagatdave]

This guy has no idea how middle east works...if usa would not have intervened...iran would have directly reached to saudi Arabian border...luckily...now usa has Sunni fighters protecting its eastern border from iranian invasion....good work by USA for 200..500 years long strategy...

[@victoriatom8742]

OMG what are these people thinking ( not )

[@pilotactor777]

Read John Pilger..

[@carlosferreira5709]

Enlightening interview!!

[@Stephen..]

Prostitution is a crime F

[@BillStreets_1723]

34:43 freedom for a body bag! Politically speaking.

[@faggianogeuiseppi5135]

Watch out for China

[@JAVINCZE]

- bla , bla , opec,,, ja .

[@JAVINCZE]

- profit .

[@One--Up]

NPChandrasekaran

[@michaelmeeker9251]

Or

[@ryanduray1]

What about WTC building 7? Whatever happened there?

[@ponzo1967]

Imagine all the people living life in peace ....you may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one I hope someday you'll join us and the world will live as one~John Lennon from the Album "A Communist Manefesto" 😂 "Imagine" Why we such shit kickin cowboys y'all? Stir up a hornet nest then bitch bout being stung 🐝 I do know it's not the 9-5 guy causing the big problems. It's the money junkies! If you're money junkie please check into the Betty Ford clinic like any good self respecting junkie ✌️

[@digital_echelons2023]

"Like it [the military] believe it did in Iraq", with respect to the surge in troops, resources, assets, capabilities and a the attendant CHANGE in the manner in which kinetic AND non-kinetic operations were conducted. The arrogance of this false assertion. The surge in Iraq DID achieve its designed purpose. It arrested and then reversed escalating violence across Iraq. It created the space necessary for civll society to crawl out from hunkered down positions, for commerce to resume, for people to go to school, for infrastructure to be built, for institutions to have a chance to survive and grow. It's the utter arrogance AND FALSE liberal narrative as represented by Mr. Chandraseken, and the uber cynicism of isolationists and nativists like Ron Paul, then Donald Trump, that cripple the appropriate application of military power on the ground if we find ourselves in situations like this, that will truly damage our ability to learn the right lessons from these engagements abroad.

[@BlueBaron3339]

Valid points, Peter. The surge was also an innovative strategy, employing local warlords. Sadly, though, it was one good and bold move set against many bad ones, apart from conducting that war in the first place. In short, what could have been a template was wasted in the aftermath. Plus Iraqi had suffered a terminal brain drain by this time as the bulk of its most educated people were secular and felt compelled to leave after it had become a religious civil war.

[@immammuddin5019]

I wish one day some superpower comes and do this to US only then privileged nutheads sitting in their AC rooms will know what occupation is.

[@digital_echelons2023]

@@immammuddin5019 Your vengeful wish will never come true, unless they want to be nuked, thanks. Enjoy that thought in from your armchair in your ac-cooled room.

[@immammuddin5019]

@@digital_echelons2023 haha I am not the one sitting in the arm chair dude. Our region was at the receiving end of your tyranny and evil. Every empire in this world has seen defeat so will your country. No one remains dominant forever. Evil perishes in the end always remember that.

[@digital_echelons2023]

@@immammuddin5019 If you supported the rule of Saddam Hussein in Iraq, or if you now support the rule of Taliban 2.0 in Afghanistan, then just say so. There are far worse things than American imperialism. Consult your own history.

[@digital_echelons2023]

Imagine the immediate withdrawal from Japan or Germany/Europe after our victories there. Imagine if we had withdrawn from Japan within a year of August 1945. Do we think its possible the country would have reverted to a governing regime that more resembled its form prior to our entrance into the war, or that of a democratic state with a written constitution that prevents the creation of an offensive military, like the won we ENSURED was created? Do we not think Russia, which intervened in Japan in the last days of the war and invaded the Kuril Islands wouldn't have gone further? Please. Run the same experiment with Germany and Europe if we had immediately pulled out. Do you not think Russia would have completely run them over and/or completely infiltrated them to establish their own friendly regimes as they did with East Germany, Poland, etc? So yeah, no wonder Iraq is largely amenable to Iranian whims absent American/coalition presence. COME ON. Be serious, Sir.

[@9notBlind]

A second-rate PR job

[@yusuffutloo1094]

This guy is his master's voice and thought. Colonized!

[@teddyraffudeen7056]

I disagree. It’s a true breakdown and piece-by-piece analysis of what occurred. So who is his master? And if you disagree with him and are on the opposite side, then to be fair, aren’t you similarly echoing YOUR master’s voice and thoughts? And by similar logic aren’t you similarly colonized. You cannot just dismiss a whole objective conversation with two sentences. He’s American and the sentiments expressed are that of a patriot who feels for his country. What’s your country? And if it isn’t America and you’re living there and enjoying its benefits wouldn’t that make you a hypocrite? So don’t fade away, respond any way you like. I want to respectfully engage you. America was attacked. It did what it had to do. That’s just the way it is. Like it or leave it. All’s fair in love and war.

[@bernardpere321]

People will be kicking themselves in few weeks if they miss the opportunity to buy and invest in Crypto.

[@christiannix6267]

*INVEST IN BITCOIN*

[@jacksonjack7146]

I wanted to trade Crypto but got confused by the fluctuations in price

[@marilyn.darnall734]

That won't bother you if you trade with a professional like Expert Bob Stephen

[@kurklukepelton1675]

Yeah

[@kurklukepelton1675]

My first investment with Mr Bob earned me profit of over $25,530 US dollars ever since then he has been delivering

[@bdearing11]

Without fail orange man bad… please just stop

[@zuluzeit7191]

He ripped on all of them. Clinging to a fantasy of Trump infallibility and getting hysterical when anything intrudes upon it is why people don't listen anymore. People find blind fanatics to be offputting.

[@smersh007]

I thought it was mostly positive about trump

[@bmitzagrrmursal6233]

Free Jacob Zuma he's innocent and a very honourable king