9/11 and the War on Terror

Introduction

On the morning of September 11, 2001, the world changed forever. On that day, 19 terrorists from the extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four commercial airplanes in the United States. They crashed two of them into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City and a third into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the U.S. military, in Virginia. The fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the hijackers. The 9/11 attacks were the deadliest terrorist attack in human history, killing nearly 3,000 people. In response, the United States, under President George W. Bush, declared a global "War on Terror," a conflict that would dominate international politics, reshape societies, and define the 21st century.

Learning objectives

After reading this article, you should be able to:

• Describe the events of September 11, 2001.
• Identify al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, as the perpetrators of the attacks.
• Define the "War on Terror" and its main objectives.
• Explain the significance of the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
• Analyse the major consequences of the War on Terror, including its impact on civil liberties and global security.

The Attacks of September 11th

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