Full Breakdown
John Howard’s 9/11 Experience and Its Effect on Australian Defence Policy
By Drooid · · How we work
The Attack and Howard’s Presence in Washington
On September 11, 2001, four passenger planes were hijacked; two struck the World Trade Center towers, one hit the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers intervened. The attacks killed 2,977 people, including ten Australians. Prime Minister John Howard had arrived in Washington on September 8, 2001, for a three-day visit that included a meeting with President George W. Bush and a scheduled briefing with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld at the Pentagon. The Pentagon meeting was moved to the previous afternoon, sparing Howard from being there when the attacks began.
Immediate Reactions and Diplomatic Moves
While walking past Washington’s war memorials on the morning of September 11, Howard was alerted by his media chief that a “terrible accident” was unfolding in New York. Within minutes, he watched the towers collapse on television. The next day, Howard became the sole guest in the U.S. House chamber, delivering a statement of solidarity. With U.S. airspace closed, Secretary of State Colin Powell arranged for Air Force Two to transport Howard and his delegation to Honolulu, where they issued public support before returning to Australia on a Qantas flight.
ANZUS Invocation and Strategic Shift
During the Honolulu flight, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer suggested invoking the ANZUS treaty—Australia’s security pact with the United States and New Zealand. Howard agreed, and the Australian Cabinet formally invoked ANZUS that Friday, marking the first such activation. The move committed Australia to support any U.S. military response to the attacks, reshaping Australian defence policy for the ensuing years.
Data & Statistics
- Prime Minister John Howard’s tenure: 4,284 days.
- 9/11 death toll: 2,977 people, including ten Australians (eight in the towers, two on the planes).
- Subsequent terrorist incident: 88 Australians killed in the Bali bombing on October 12, 2002.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It’s one of those things: ‘Were you there?’,” — John Howard
- “Although I had spoken to Bush on the phone several times, I hadn’t met him until then,” — John Howard
