In day September 11, 2001, the USA suffered the biggest attack against part of its territories since the action of the Japanese in Pearl Habor, during World War II. On the morning of September 11, two airliners crashed into the World Trade Center (WTC) towers, knocking down one of New York City's main architectural symbols.
However, contrary to the Japanese attacks of 1941, the demolition of the buildings was not carried out by a regular army, but by the al-Qaeda terrorist organization, whose main leader was Osama Bin Laden
In addition to the two planes being directed to the two WTC towers, there was also a third attack on the headquarters from the Pentagon in Washington D.C., and a third plane was dropped over a field in the state of Pennsylvania. In all, 19 al-Qaeda militants participated in the actions, which resulted in the death of thousands of people and exposed the fragile security of the US military defense forces.
Televisions around the world broadcast scenes from New York City, with the crash of the second plane to the last tower that still stood was broadcast live, causing a strong impact on the people following the occurred.
Al-Qaeda is an Islamic fundamentalist group that emerged in the 1980s, in the context after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979. Although there are differences, information indicates that the group was financed, armed and trained by the CIA until the 1990s. Changes in the world scenario after the fall of the Berlin Wall would have been the main reason for al-Qaeda's move away from the US, transforming the Western country in the main target of fundamentalists, mainly because it has become the main economic, political, military and cultural power of the world.
The close relationship between the US and al-Qaeda also generated a series of assumptions about the reason for the lack of a pre-emptive strike, preventing the overthrow of the WTC and the destruction of part of the Pentagon. The actions of Mohamed Atta, the main leader of the attack, were being monitored by the secret service Pakistani country, who, in turn, received money and logistical information from the CIA, which would indicate that the government by George W. Bush would have information on preparations for action.
The most curious thing about President Bush was the fact that, during the attacks on the two towers, he he stayed at an elementary school in upstate Florida, telling students a children's story, “The Goat of Estimation”. It was the role of the US president to be in charge of the Armed Forces at the time, as US law requires him to be in charge when there are hijacked planes in US territory. Furthermore, US Air Force fighters should have accompanied the hijacked planes and shot them down if they did not land, a situation that did not happen.
The September 11, 2001 attack marked a new period in world history. Terrorism has become the main enemy of the biggest Western capitalist nations. The fight was no longer against a regular army, but against small clandestine groups that had become politically and ideologically based on religious precepts and attack both civilian and military.
In order to combat these types of actions, then US President George W. Bush initiated the call war on terror. In October 2001, the Afghanistan was invaded by NATO troops, who overthrew the Taliban government, putting their Northern Alliance allies in power. The aim was also to dismantle al-Qaeda in the country and find Osama bin Laden. The latter was found in 2011 in Pakistan and killed on May 2nd of the same year. However, the war in Afghanistan is still unfolding in the year 2013.
Another consequence of the September 11, 2001 attacks was the Iraq war, which began in 2003 after the US argued that Saddam Hussein's regime held weapons of mass destruction. Even though the existence of these weapons has not been proven, the US attacked the country, with the support mainly of the United Kingdom. In December 2003, the Iraqi president was captured, being tried and sentenced for the death of about 140 Shiites, a fact that would have occurred in 1982. The hanging of Saddam Hussein took place in December 2006.
Since the September 11, 2001 attack, international policy analysts have begun to indicate a new way of approaching the US in relation to world conflicts, placing the country in the position of the world's policeman for having tried to intercede in most of the conflicts that took place in the 2000s.
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* Image Credit: Ken Tannenbaum and Shutterstock.com
By Tales Pinto
Master in History
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/guerras/o-terrorismo-11-setembro-2001.htm