Condoleezza Rice, former Secretary of State and National Security Advisor, expressed deep personal remorse for failing to prevent the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Speaking at a memorial ceremony at the Pentagon, Rice acknowledged that those in positions of authority at the time did not perceive the full scope of the danger in time to avert the tragedy.
"We did what we knew to do, but by definition, it was not enough," Rice stated. She offered an apology to the families of the victims present at the ceremony.
"I will always carry deep personal remorse for the pain that you, the families of the fallen, still feel, and for the trauma that our country endured," she said. Rice's remarks reflect on the inability of U.S. leadership to foresee and counter the specific threat that led to the attacks on September 11, 2001. The statement comes as the nation observes the anniversary of the events that claimed nearly 3,000 lives and led to significant shifts in U.S. foreign and domestic policy. The ceremony aimed to honor the victims and reflect on the lessons learned in the intervening years.