Welcome to the Witness Podcast from the BBC World Service with me Claire Bowes.

On the 20th of September 2001 in an historic speech,

President George W Bush launched a war on terror in response to the 9-11 attacks.

Just a few days earlier, Congress had given him the power to order military action against any person, organization or country suspected of

involvement in the attacks. Only one member of Congress, Barbara Lee, had voted

against it.

The phone rang, it was someone on my staff,

explaining to me that we should get out of the Capitol right away.

The White House is evacuated as a third plane crashes into the Pentagon

and Washington. It's feared hundreds could be dead. September the 11th, 2001

Congresswoman Barbara Lee of the Democratic Party was in a meeting in the Capitol

Building, the heart of US government.

After I hung up the phone I heard the Capitol police saying, evacuate, get out of here, get out of here get out of here and not

knowing what was taking place no one did we just asked where to go where to go and

the police officer just pointed toward the Supreme Court and just said

run down the street run down the street. Make no mistake the United States

will hunt down and punish those responsible for these cowardly acts.

Amid the outcry and shock of those first hours, President Bush presented Congress with an extraordinary

request to allow him to launch military action against anyone suspected of involvement in the September 11th attacks without having to consult Congress.

This was the dawn of what became known as the War on Terror.

Part of me said yes, yes, yes let's do whatever it takes you know let's go to war.

The other part of me said

...