25th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks is a reminder of the importance of Nato

The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York are engulfed in flames after being hit by two planes on September 11, 2001 (Picture: Spencer Platt) | Getty Images

Twenty-five years ago today, nearly 3,000 people were killed in the world’s deadliest-ever terrorist attack. Two hijacked airliners were flown into the Twin Towers in New York; another hit the Pentagon in Virginia; and a fourth crashed in a Pennsylvania field after passengers fought to regain control of the aircraft.

Just under a month later, Nato invoked article 5 of its founding treaty for the first time in history: the US had been attacked and its allies would come to its defence. The then Nato Secretary-General, George Robertson, said: “The facts are clear and compelling... We know that the individuals who carried out these attacks were part of the worldwide terrorist network al-Qaeda, headed by Osama bin Laden and his key lieutenants, and protected by the Taliban.”

The resulting invasion of Afghanistan saw British soldiers fight alongside Americans, Canadians, Danes and others and eventually, bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan.

That article 5 has only been invoked once is a demonstration of the simple fact that Nato’s strength is a powerful deterrent. We must do everything we can to maintain it.