It has been nearly 25 years since the terrorist attacks on September 11. Now, people are looking back to ask a tough question: Did the U.S. do the right thing in the years that followed?

There is a big debate going on right now. Some experts think the U.S. failed. They point to the wars in the Middle East and argue that the country ignored problems at home. Some call this 'institutional neglect,' which is just a fancy way of saying that the people in charge stopped paying attention to important safety systems.

Others see it differently. Some writers argue that the war on terror did not fail. They believe that the most important goal—keeping the U.S. safe from another massive attack—was actually achieved. They say the response to 9/11 was focused and got the big things right.

But the conversation doesn't stop there. Some analysts are looking at modern politics, specifically at Donald Trump. They argue that leaders today haven't learned the lessons from those long, expensive wars. They worry that the U.S. might make the same mistakes again if it doesn't look closely at what happened in the past.

In short, there is no single answer. Some think the U.S. stayed too long in other countries and caused more trouble than good. Others think the government did exactly what it needed to do to keep citizens safe. As we reach the 25-year mark, the experts are still arguing over what the legacy of these wars really is.

Source: The Dispatch