WATCH: Extended interview between former Prime Minister John Howard and Political Editor CUhlmann. AusPol 9News
Mr Howard was in the US on September 11, 2001, and was set to address Congress when Al Qaeda toppled the World Trade Centre towers.Days later, flying home on Air Force Two, he said he spoke to then-Foreign Minister Alexander Downer.
Mr Howard said the evidence that the attacks had been carried out by Al Qaeda out of Afghanistan was "overwhelming" from the early stages.in a lightning takeover by the Taliban"Judged by the original reason for going in, it was a total success because there was no like attack coming out of Afghanistan organised by Al-Qaeda," he said.
He said the great bulk of soldiers who served in Afghanistan that he had spoken to had been glad for the opportunity, though he acknowledged that the families of the 41 soldiers killed in the country would have "a mixture of emotions".
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