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Currently Playing: I Briefed George W. Bush on 9/11

What was the first thing the President said after the September 11th attacks? Was 9/11 really a strategic failure? And, would Osama Bin Laden be happy with the post-9/11 world? Listen as David and Gordon are joined by former acting CIA Director, Michael Morrell, the man who briefed the President on two of the most consequential moments in modern US history: 9/11 and the killing of Bin Laden. ----------------- ➡️ Join the Declassified Club to go deeper into the world of espionage with exclusive Q&As, interviews with top intelligence insiders, regular livestreams, ad-free listening, early access to episodes and live show tickets, and weekly deep dives into original spy stories. Members also get curated reading lists, special book discounts, prize draws, and access to our private chat community. Just go to https://therestisclassified.com 🔓 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 🗞️ Sign-up for our free newsletter where producer Becki takes you behind the scenes of the show: https://mailchi.mp/goalhanger.com/tric-free-newsletter-sign-up ------------------ Get a 10% discount on business PCs, printers and accessories using the code TRIC10. Visit https://HP.com/CLASSIFIED for more information. T&C's apply. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/restisclassified Upgrade your online protection with an all-in-one security app! It’s risk free with NordVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee 🌍 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ✅ Subscribe Here: https://www.youtube.com/@restisclassifiedsub_confirmation=1 🎙️ Listen To The Podcast: https://linktr.ee/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📱 Follow Us On Socials: Facebook: / https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567680193497 Instagram: / https://www.instagram.com/restisclassified/?hl=en TikTok: / https://www.tiktok.com/@restisclassified Twitter: / https://x.com/triclassified -------------------------------------- 📩 Email: classified@goalhanger.com -------------------------------------- Social Producer: Emma Jackson Producer: Becki Hills Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor 0:00 Introduction and background 3:04 Joining the agency 6:11 9/11: A day of intensity 15:04 Warning signs and al-Qaeda 20:57 Policy challenges and failures 25:14 The road to September 11 30:45 Systemic failure analysis 35:18 Post-9/11 pressure 40:34 The hunt for bin Laden 43:24 Locating the compound 52:01 The mission and its aftermath 54:40 Reflections and closing