20 years ago, the world was shocked by images of two planes flying into the Twin Towers in New York. America was injured, but its response would go on to inflict worse wounds on the country’s image and influence, culminating with the humiliating retreat from Afghanistan. That was just the latest chapter in a series of damaging moral crusades, attempting (and failing) to get other countries to conform to America’s values. As a result, America has lost the pre-eminence it once enjoyed, and needs to learn to accept the world as it is, writes Michael Pembroke.

The world of the twenty-first century is changing with unforeseen rapidity. Twenty years ago in September 2001, 19 men who belonged to a terrorist organisation called Al-Qaeda attacked the United States. Fifteen of the men were from Saudi Arabia. The Taliban did not attack the United States; nor did Afghanistan. Just over a week ago, after 20 years of bombing and almost $3 trillion in expenditure, the American invasion of Afghanistan ended in ignominy, defeat and withdrawal. The bombing caused death to the people of Afghanistan and the destruction and dislocation of its civil society. Approximately half of those killed were women and children.