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The impact of September 11 on the world
The impact of September 11 on the world
Impact of 9/11 on the US
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The unthinkable events of September 11 have called into question things that once seemed indisputable about America. The end of the Cold War brought with it notions of American supremacy economically, militarily, and in intelligence. The only challenge to this supremacy had been the Soviet Union, and its collapse ensured that the United States was safe to take its place as the world's only superpower. However, in the decade following the end of the Cold War, America has not been willing to accept the responsibility that accompanies this position. The weaknesses exposed by the attack all point to a need for America to abandon its perception of itself as invincible, because that attitude is precisely what made it so vulnerable. America needs to be willing to constantly reevaluate itself and question whether or not it is acting responsibly, as a superpower should.
What constitutes a superpower? This is a question that must be answered in order to determine where America stands after September 11. There is no question that America is the dominate force in the world both militarily and economically, and both of these factors play an important role in defining it as a superpower. However, these are two factors that are only relevant when looking at the whole world. Internal factors also play a role in defining a country as a superpower. First of all, the country must have a feeling of safety. People living in a superpower feel that they are untouchable and that as long as they stay under the security blanket that their government offers, no harm will come their way. In addition, the strong superpower will be held up by a strong infrastructure. Intelligence should be a top priority to ensure the safety of the people of the supe...
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The events of September 11 have changed the America forever. Undoubtedly, the age of American innocence is over. However, the question remains: does the end of innocence mean the end of superpower status? The reevaluation of American hegemony is inevitable, but will this reevaluation signify the end of the hegemony? Undoubtedly, America dominates the world scene, even after the attack, but it must begin to understand better what it means to dominate this ever-changing world. America must never again sink into the complacency that had taken over in the past decade. It is only through constant reevaluation that America will ever truly understand the huge responsibility that accompanies being the world's lone superpower.
Sources
CNN, "Anthrax victim urges Americans to 'stand together,'"
http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/11/05/anx.anthrax.facts/
Before the events of 9/11 the US had been attacked before and we were aware of possible threats. However, these threats, specifically those of Al-Qaeda were not taken seriously by American foreign policy makers or regular Americans alike, so on September 11, 2001 Americans were truly shocked by the scale of devastation and loss of life that occurred. The effect these attacks had on America was incredible. In the years that followed Americans became fearful and discriminatory of religious groups; the government created the Department of Homeland Security and enacted stricter search and seizure laws, and America’s foreign policy became defined by unilateral decision making and preemptive war.
9/11 was one of the most devastating events in American History. Four hijacked passenger airplanes killed almost three thousand people. 9/11 changed millions of lives forever. American Citizens didn’t feel safe. This attack was a wake-up call to American security. 9/11 forced the country to acknowledge its shortcomings and fix them, before any more harm could come upon the United States of America. 9/11, as all acts of terror do, promoted the growth of technology, in this case, security in the United States. 9/11 also brought about feelings of hatred to the country. The United States soon became known as one of the most intolerable nations on this planet. Lastly, 9/11 butchered the economy and forced it down a long road to recovery.
After the Second World War, America came out of the war with the responsibility of being the “superpower” of the world. In the past America would never get involved in foreign affairs however after World War Two things had changed. Since America was considered the most powerful natio...
When a giant explosion ripped through Alfred P. Murrah federal building April 19,1995, killing 168 and wounding hundreds, the United States of America jumped to a conclusion we would all learn to regret. The initial response to the devastation was all focused of middle-eastern terrorists. “The West is under attack,”(Posner 89), reported the USA Today. Every news and television station had the latest expert on the middle east telling the nation that we were victims of jihad, holy war. It only took a few quick days to realize that we were wrong and the problem, the terrorist, was strictly domestic. But it was too late. The damage had been done. Because America jumped to conclusions then, America was later blind to see the impending attack of 9/11. The responsibility, however, is not to be placed on the America people. The public couldn’t stand to hear any talk of terrorism, so in turn the White House irresponsibly took a similar attitude. They concentrated on high public opinion and issues that were relevant to Americans everyday. The government didn’t want to deal with another public blunder like the one in Oklahoma City. A former FBI analyst recalls, “when I went to headquarters (Washington, D.C.) later that year no one was interested in hearing anything about Arab money connections unless it had something to do with funding domestic groups. We stumbled so badly on pinpointing the Middle East right off the bat on the Murrah bombing. No one wanted to get caught like that again,”(Posner 90). The result saw changes in the counter terrorism efforts; under funding, under manning, poor cooperation between agencies, half-hearted and incompetent agency official appointees and the list goes on. All of these decisions, made at the hands of the faint-hearted, opened the doors wide open, and practically begged for a terrorist attack. So who’s fault is it? The public’s for being
Throughout the short story, “The Lady with the Lapdog”, Chekhov’s strays away from the classical love story expectations by realistically portraying Anna's and Gurov's relationship. Chekhov follows the structure for a romantic tale to a bare minimum, but, ultimately, diverts from the commonly known aspects of a love story, as described by author Leigh Michaels’ “The Essential Elements of Writing a Romance Novel”. Chekok’s alteration from a classical love story thwarts the reader’s expectations by demonstrating realism and uncertainty found in human nature. Chekhov’s technique of applying a realistic lens on this couple raises more questions than answers, leaving much ambiguity for the reader’s own interpretation. By exploring the nuances in human nature, Chekhov illustrates a forbidden love that juxtaposes the universal rubric for what a love story should contain.
Although I feel as though there are many literary elements throughout this short story such as characterization and theme, I also feel as though symbolism is very important as well. First of all, I believe that the name Phoenix in itself is symbolic for the type of person the old woman truly is. A Phoenix is a mythological creature who dies in fire and rises from ashes only to be stronger. It is as though all of these hardships only make the old woman more determined to complete her journey successfully.
The basic situation of the short story "Guests of the Nation" by Frank O'Connor is a story of friendship and war between two opposing sides, the Irish and British during war time. The two Englishmen, Belcher and Hawkins whom are prisoners of war and the Irishmen who are holding them captured engage in frequent card games, joke telling and arguing altogether while the war seems worlds away.
Wordsworth said in his poem Wandered Lonely like a Cloud that he was lonely when he was walking and found the daffodils dancing very joyfully with the wind. We know this when his poem said,”I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o'er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” Although he was feeling very lonely, The flowers seemed to bring joy to him. Muir expresses this when he says,“For oft, when on my couch I lie in vacant or pensive mood, they flash upon that inward eye which is the bliss of solitude; and then my heart with pleasure fills, and dances with the
He explains how nature has never betrayed his heart and that is why he has lived a life full of joy. Therefore, he wishes her sister to indulge the nature and be a part of it. That way, she will be able to enjoy and understand life and conquer the displeasure of living in a cruel human society. When she feels sad or lonely, he wants her to remember what he told her about nature because he believes that if his sister where to recall him, he will gain eternal life. The idea of “Lines composed of a few miles above Tintern Abbey” expresses Wordsworth sensational admiration for nature and feels a deep power of delight in natural things. He exclaims how at moment of sadness, he turns to the nature for peace of mind and inspiration. As he becomes serious about the nature, it gives him courage and spirit enough to stand there with a sense of delight and pleasure. He lets the reader know that even though his boyish days are gone, he doesn’t ponder on it or mourn for its loss. He has simply gained something in return; looking at nature, not in thoughtless ways but seeing its true meaning and beauty; hearing the sad music of
First, the characters understand that their relationship is based on future aspirations and second, they have historical relationship disappointments. This third insight into the psychology of love supports the fact that many relationships and marriages often fail because of unrealistic expectations. Psychology research SHOWS that individual expectations for relationships actually sows the seeds of discontent. People are expected to provide not only provide safety, security and support, but also facilitate personal growth and freedom. Even though they come from an older period in history, Anna and Dmitri are stereotypical people who have unhappy pasts and hopeful futures. They are thrown into an intense relationship with limited mutual understanding. Chekhov’s limited dialogue and straightforward narrative leaves plenty of cognitive room for readers to ruminate about their own experiences and how they relate to the
...s' poems and interpret his thoughts and imagination. Comparing Autumn's winnowing hair to a billowing cloud of straw, although it makes for an interesting picture inside a reader's head, is not something that my brain associates with nature. It was this kind of comparison to nature, and Keats awkward use of personification that made me relate and like Wordsworth's poem better. Wordsworth, like any other good poet was able transform ordinary life into art. A process of interpreting what he saw, shaping, and ordering took place between the time that he observed the daffodils and the finished poem. Wordsworth made it possible for the reader to see the daffodils in a new way that did not require an awkward use of language. It also provided a setting that was not only enjoyable to read, but left the reader a newfound appreciation of nature that Wordsworth showed us.
Chekhov uses the symbolism of emptiness and fullness throughout his story to emphasize Olga's state in various stages of her life. After marrying her first husband, Kukin, a theater manager, Olga "grew stouter." Chekhov doesn't refer to a sense of fullness or emptiness again until after her lover, a veterinarian surgeon named Smirnin, leaves her. Then, "She got thinner and plainer" and had an "empty yard." After the boy, Sasha, moves in with her, Chekhov describes her as a "tall, stout woman." All these references are meant to describe Olga's emotional and mental states during these times. Without someone to love in her life, Olga is an empty shell, but when she has someone she is full.
Since the earliest recorded history, there has always been one elusive title that a State has strived for, the title of Super Power. Power is one of the fundamental characteristics of the international system and the distribution of power among states. It is obvious that states are unequal in power and this “entails a number of important implications for international politics”. As a result of this lack of power, the ‘weak states’ desires and concerns are often neglected and the ‘strong states’ demands usually shape the international agenda. In the Modern Society, some would argue that we have two great powers in Russia and the United States, but if you measure and compare the two countries, The United States is more powerful. Some of these categories are population in which the U.S has more than double Russ...
...ion. The types of discrimination in our society have been reduced, one by one. Nowadays, a person is no longer treated differently because of his or her religion, race, gender, or any other number of unique qualities. Yet one of the most fundamental differences between humans is still being used as an object of discrimination. We must show that we have not become inured to this type of discrimination. It is time to implement the actions necessary for true equality to spread throughout our nation. It is now the time to escape this imbroglio and uphold the words of the founding fathers. Defenestrate the old ways of discrimination and segregation, and ensure that all Men that are created equal will be treated equally. It is time for all people, as equals, to share the same potential to live happy, successful, and satisfying lives, regardless of intellectual capabilities.
Figurative language is used by William Wordsworth to show the exchange between man and nature. The poet uses various examples of personification throughout the poem. When the poet says:”I wandered lonely as a cloud” (line 1),”when all at once I saw a crowd” (line 3), and “fluttering and dancing in the breeze” (line 6) shows the exchange between the poet and nature since the poet compares himself to a cloud, and compares the daffodils to humans. Moreover, humans connect with God through nature, so the exchange between the speaker and nature led to the connection with God. The pleasant moment of remembering the daffodils does not happen to the poet all time, but he visualizes them only in his “vacant or pensive mode”(line 20). However, the whole poem is full of metaphors describing the isolation of the speaker from society, and experiences the beauty of nature that comforts him. The meta...