On September 7th 2011, The Brandenburg Institute for Society and Security had organized a conference about „Ten years after 9/11 – Lessons Learned and Challenges Ahead“. On the first panel of the conference, Michael Chertoff (former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security), Dr. Suba Chandan and Prof. Dr. Robin Geiß, argued their point of views concerning the international developments during the past ten years after the 9/11 attacks. Their different opinions, based on the cultural, historical and geographical backgrounds of the three participants, could be easily distinguished. Suba Chandran believes that “The global war on terrorism is not seen as our war”. Michael Chertoff, speaking about the Exit-Strategy, “You deal with the problem as long as you have to deal with it.” On the contrary, Robin Geiß argues “The lesson learned is now to adopt a more moderate, a more holistic approach.”
This part of the conference can already be watched on Youtube. The different links can be found at the bottom of this summary.

During the second part of the day, the domestic political challenges faced by Germany, were discussed by the members of the Bundestag Gisela Piltz, Dr. Dieter Wiefelspütz and Wolfgang Wieland.
They enthusiastically debated about both the legislative measures taken in the past and about the current political proposals. The fact that the government takes or at least supports specific measures that are judged differently by the opposition, seemed to be a mutual understanding.

During the conference, a comprehensive and detailed perspective was being formed by the participants based on their different point of views considering ten years of looking back and analyzing the 9/11 attacks. Dieter Wiefelspütz argues that the then government has reacted with “an extraordinary calmness and thoughtfulness”. Wolfgang Wieland’s long-term strategy is based on the fundamental principal that “Terrorism won’t be defeated by military power, it will be defeated in the minds of the people”. Gisela Piltz considers, above all, civil liberties more important than security: “One doesn’t protect liberty, by giving some of it away.”

In order to deal with the challenges ahead, the conference and the prospective visions given form by all the speakers, showed the importance of a broad societal debate that should not only regard the German aspects.

The Virtuelle Akademie of the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation for Freedom recorded the conference and has uploaded the following videos on Youtube:

Keynote Michael Chertoff
Keynote Dr. Suba Chandran
Keynote Prof. Dr. Robin Geiß
Panel 1 discussion part 1
Panel 1 discussion part 2