Over the past year, many initiatives have been announced and carried out in Washington, D.C. in advance of the marking of America’s first quarter-millennium. Among President Trump’s projects are renovations to Lafayette Square, already underway; a proposed Memorial Circle arch across from the Lincoln Memorial, a proposed National Garden of American Heroes, and more. Other changes to the face of the capital include the renovation of the White House East Wing ballroom, the revamping of the Rose Garden, the painting of the Eisenhower office building and the relocation of FBI headquarters from the J. Edgar Hoover building to the nearby Ronald Reagan building.
At this time of change and national reset on the eve of America’s 250th birthday – and ahead of the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks – the question of how the country should commemorate this aspect of its history is under discussion. There is now a profound opportunity for a new and essential American institution grounded in the protection of the Homeland and the preservation of American founders in the nation’s capital: a National Institute for the Study of Terrorism (NISOT).
In an era of misinformation and oversimplified and conspiratorial narratives, the National Institute For The Study Of Terrorism would provide education-grounded research.
Such an institute would serve as the world’s leading center for studying the subject of terrorism and future threats, combining elements of a museum, a training academy, and a public education center. It would act as a permanent national security, historical, and research center preserving the lessons learned from terrorism throughout American history, through immersive exhibits, expert speakers, and government, military, intelligence, academic, and technology partnerships in combatting it.
Its core components would include: a national archive comprising documentation of extremist propaganda, translations, digital evidence, and oral histories; a future threats laboratory studying technology and terrorist use of it, including AI, deepfakes, drones, cyberterrorism, and terror financing; a public awareness and training center for law enforcement, schools, and universities; a real-time digital monitoring center focused on terrorist ecosystems, propaganda trends, and algorithmic radicalization online; and a speaker and fellowship program bringing together former officials, survivors, researchers, military leaders, and technology experts.
The mission of the National Institute For The Study Of Terrorism – which should be located in Washington, D.C., where it will be accessible to all Americans visiting the capital – would be to preserve the history of terrorism against the U.S., to study the evolution of extremist ideologies, to educate the public, and to prepare future generations to confront emerging threats in the digital and AI era. Its vision statement could be: “Protecting the next 250 years of the American republic through education, research, remembrance, and preparedness.”
Unlike the National September 11 Memorial & Museum and the Oklahoma City National Memorial, which commemorate specific tragedies, the institute would provide broader context, tracing the evolution of terrorism. It would also be distinct from the planned Global War on Terrorism Memorial on the National Mall for commemorating and paying tribute to service members who gave their lives in the fight against terrorism.
The institute would display its archive of print and video terrorist propaganda and documentation of methods of planning and recruitment – which constitute a trove of material for study by academia and law enforcement.
It would serve as an invaluable national repository for testimony and evidence from: survivors of terror attacks; former hostages and defectors from jihadi groups; intelligence and military officials; journalists, translators and researchers; and others who have been targeted. Its national security research mission would include support for intelligence agencies and homeland security, including for court cases; partnerships with law enforcement and U.S.-allied governments; and collaboration with institutes of higher learning studying extremism and radicalization.
The need for this institution is even greater in light of the looming 25th anniversary of 9/11 – particularly as a whole generation of Americans has been born since then, and as the memory of the attacks fades. People are not paying attention: The recent primary election wins of individuals around the country who show sympathy for jihad organizations and justify 9/11 reflects the danger America is facing.
As the U.S. approaches this milestone – and as the many recent thwarted terrorist plots inside the U.S. including the UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House serve as a reminder of the constant threat of terrorism – a bipartisan commission of counterterrorism officials, academics, think tanks, and others should be established to help propose plans for this institute, which will fill an important void.
Steven Stalinsky, Ph.D., is Executive Director of MEMRI.
This article was originally published by RealClearWorld and made available via RealClearWire.
