The Long Shadow: 9/11 & the War on Terror Simulation

Overview

The country is in crisis. The evidence is incomplete. Allies want answers. Congress is demanding a role. Every option carries risk.

You and your classmates will serve as a national policy council. At each decision point, you will receive a concise briefing, compare competing strategies, negotiate safeguards, and commit to a course of action.

Then the world responds. Allies may cooperate or resist. Congress may impose limits. Courts and public opinion may shift. Resources may run short. A Fate Roll may complicate even a sound plan.

Your goal is not to “win” 9/11. Your goal is to build a defensible strategy, protect democratic institutions, and live with the long shadow of your choices.

ASSIGNMENT: The Long Shadow Historical Role Report

Historical Roles

Executive Council

The Executive Council seeks to create a unified national strategy and turn competing advice into decisions the government can carry out. Its combined powers include presidential leadership, legal review, continuity planning, and interagency coordination; once per game, it may identify two finalist policies for a final 60-second debate.

George W. Bush (President)

Dick Cheney (Vice President)

Condoleezza Rice (National Security Advisor)

Andrew Card (White House chief of Staff)

John Ashcroft (Attorney General)

Diplomacy Council

The Diplomacy Council seeks to build legitimate coalitions, secure cooperation from regional partners, and connect American action to achievable political goals. Its combined diplomatic network can negotiate access, allied support, and international legitimacy; once per game, it may require the Game Master to reveal the most important condition an ally has attached to a proposal.

Colin Powell (Secretary of State)

Richard Armitage (Deputy Secretary of State)

R. Nicholas Burns (U.S. Representative to NATO)

Christina Rocca (Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs)

Tony Blair (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom/Coalition Partner)

Defense Council

The Defense Council seeks to ensure that every military commitment has a realistic objective, sufficient resources, and a plan for what happens after the initial operation. Its combined military expertise can evaluate readiness, troop requirements, logistics, duration, and civilian protection; once per game, it may require a proposal to pass a formal Feasibility Gate before proceeding unchanged.

Donald Rumsfeld - Secretary of Defense

Paul Wolfowitz - Deputy Secretary of Defense

Richard Myers - Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Tommy Franks - Commander, U.S. Central Command

Eric Shinseki - Chief of Staff of the United States Army

Intelligence Council

The Intelligence Council seeks to locate and disrupt threats through intelligence collection, lawful investigation, information sharing, and financial pressure. Its combined CIA, FBI, NSA, Treasury, and counterterrorism capabilities can uncover networks and reduce uncertainty; once per game, it may privately ask whether a crucial intelligence claim has high, medium, or low confidence.

George Tenet - Director of Central Intelligence

Robert Mueller - Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation

Michael Hayden - Director, National Security Agency

Jimmy Gurule - Treasury Under Secretary for Enforcement

Richard Clarke - National Counterterrorism Coordinator

Congressional Council

The Congressional Council seeks to authorize, fund, limit, and review national policy while protecting the constitutional division of powers. Its combined legislative and oversight authority can demand testimony, control funding, and establish legal boundaries; once per game, it may attach a scope, reporting, funding, or sunset restriction to the winning policy for an immediate safeguard vote.

Dennis Hastert - Speaker of the House of Representatives

Joseph R. Biden - Chair, Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Carl Levin - Chair, Senate Armed Services Committee

Barbara Lee - Member, U.S. House of Representatives

Russ Feingold - United States Senator/Judiciary Oversight

Human Security Council

The Human Security Council seeks to protect civilians, preserve human rights and public trust, and prepare for reconstruction and long-term political stability. Its combined humanitarian, international, investigative, and human-rights expertise can expose consequences other factions may overlook; once per game, it may require the Game Master to reveal a likely civilian, displacement, governance, or public-trust consequence before the vote.

Andrew Natsios - Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development

Lakhdar Brahimi - United Nations Special Representative

Sima Sama - Afghan Human Rights and Women’s Affairs Leader

Thomas H. Kean - Chair, National Commission on Terrorist Attacks

Kenneth Roth - Executive Director, Human Rights Watch

Leadership Handoff Transitions

As the simulation moves from 2001 through 2021, leadership handoffs replace historical officeholders while students retain the same institutional seats and game abilities. Scores, promises, Influence, Legacy Points, and Shadow Ledger consequences are never reset—the new administration must inherit and manage the decisions made by its predecessors.