Aftershock: The War on Terror – Episode 1: With Us or Against Us

The LRB Podcast

London Review of Books

Society & Culture

4.4 • 579 Ratings

🗓️ 21 November 2025

⏱️ 45 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the days after 9/11, George W. Bush declared a state of emergency and initiated what would become an unprecedented expansion of US power. Public debate narrowed: there were new limits on what was acceptable, and not acceptable, to say. The London Review of Books published a number of pieces that challenged this consensus, forcing its editor, Mary-Kay Wilmers, to defend the paper on national radio. This is the first episode in a six-part series. To listen to the rest of the series follow Aftershock: The War on Terror in: Apple Podcasts: https://lrb.me/wotapple Spotify: https://lrb.me/wotspotify Other podcast apps: https://lrb.me/wotlinktree Archive:Rutgers Law Review, ‘CNN Live’/CNN, ‘Good Morning America’/ABC, ‘Good Day New York’/FOX5 New York/FOX, ‘SmackDown’/USA Network/WWE, ‘Meet the Press’/NBC/NBC News Productions and ‘Broadcasting House’/BBC Radio 4/BBC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	What you're about to hear is the first episode of Aftershock, The War on Terror, a new six-part podcast from the London Review of Books.
0:11.5	To listen to the full series, search Aftershock, The War on Terror in your podcast app and click follow.
0:18.7	There are also links in the description.
0:33.8	On the morning of September the 11th at 7.59 a.m., American Airlines Flight 11 took off from Logan Airport in Boston.
0:36.2	American 11, no climate table level 3.50. 15 minutes later, air traffic control instructed the plane to increase altitude. American 11, climb maintain a level 350. Climb and then maintain altitude at 35,000 feet.
0:57.0	American 11, Boston.
1:00.0	American 1-1, the American on the frequency.
1:03.0	How do you hear me?
1:05.0	There was no response.
1:08.0	American 11, if you hear Boston Center,
1:10.0	ident please or acknowledged.
1:17.0	At 819, a flight attendant on the plane placed an air phone call to the reservations desk
1:23.9	at American Airlines.
1:24.9	The context is not answering.
1:27.4	Somebody staffed in business class.
1:29.3	And I think there's names that we can't breathe.
1:32.3	I don't know.
1:33.3	I think we'll get in high desk.
1:34.3	Which point are you all?
1:36.3	I'm number three on flight 11.
1:38.3	Five minutes later, air traffic control picked up a voice.
1:43.3	We have some planes. Let's stay quiet and you'll be okay.
	...

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