TIME Magazine: Before Sept. 11 — The Secret History



	COVER STORY They Had A Plan Long before 9/11, the White House debated taking the fight to al-Qaeda. It didn't happen—and soon it was too late. The saga of a lost chance Subscribe to TIME



	A 9/11 Timeline While White House officials debated going on the offensive against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, 19 terrorists prepared for an attack that would shake a nation



	Cover Collection: Browse every TIME cover related to Sept. 11 and its aftermath Sept. 11 Archive: From Ground Zero to the war in Afghanistan, a guide to our most compelling coverage