Timothy Snyder: 9/11 Response Played Into Terrorists' Hands, Enabling Putin and Trump

In a guest commentary published by Süddeutsche Zeitung, historian Timothy Snyder argues that America's response to the September 11 attacks delivered precisely what the attackers sought: wars, de-democratization, and a climate of lies that Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump later exploited. Snyder contends that the post-9/11 era produced military conflicts and erosion of democratic institutions rather than the intended security. According to the piece, this environment of falsehood became a resource for both Putin and Trump. The commentary nevertheless asserts that means of resistance remain available. The article appears in the Kultur section of the Munich-based daily under the debate framing 'Haben die Terroristen gewonnen?' — asking whether the terrorists won. Snyder's argument ties the legacy of 9/11 directly to contemporary authoritarian politics. The text is a Gastbeitrag, or guest contribution, reflecting on the long-term consequences of American counterterrorism policy. It does not propose a specific program of action beyond stating that countermeasures still exist.