STRAT | 01 OCT 2026 | 9-11 Remembered, and How California Countered Counterterrorism — STRAT

Twenty-five years after September 11, retired Marine Intelligence Officer LtCol. Hal Kempfer reflects on the attacks and examines California’s evolving approach to terrorism prevention. Drawing on his experience with the Terrorism Early Warning program, he traces the origins of Terrorism Liaison Officer training and explains how public safety partnerships helped identify potential threats. Kempfer alleges that funding priorities, conflicts of interest, and bureaucratic decisions weakened training, reduced suspicious activity reporting, and undermined regional preparedness. He connects those concerns to missed warning signs surrounding subsequent attacks, including the 2015 San Bernardino massacre, while arguing that prevention requires sustained education and cooperation. The conversation also considers accountability, institutional retaliation, and the risks posed by violent extremism and hybrid warfare. This anniversary episode asks what lessons from September 11 remain unlearned, and why effective intelligence sharing, training, and public vigilance still matter for protecting communities against today’s increasingly complex and evolving security threats.

Takeaways :

Remembering September 11 means examining enduring gaps in prevention.
Kempfer traces California’s Terrorism Early Warning program origins.
Terrorism Liaison Officers help public safety professionals recognize threats.
Suspicious activity reporting supports early intervention and threat assessment.
Kempfer alleges funding priorities undermined essential counterterrorism training.
San Bernardino highlights Kempfer’s concerns about missed warning signs.
Institutional accountability and cooperation remain central to effective prevention.
Violent extremism and hybrid warfare demand sustained threat awareness.

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