The causes of the 9/11 terrorist attacks are rooted deeper than most Americans realize. The trail of historical events that led to this catastrophe are widely unknown. Many Americans believe that the war on terror began with the tragedy of the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and ended with the death of Osama Bin Laden, but in reality, the war on terror has a long and complicated history. This paper will explore the historical events that culminated in the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001..
In 1978, a communist government gained control of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union supported the new government, but the unrest of Afghan citizens with this regime was so great it prompted a “Jihad” or holy war(Jacobson, 31). This Jihad brought Muslims from around the world to train, fight and rally against their enemy. They believed that no Islamic country should be ruled by non-Islamic foreigners. By fighting against Russia, they felt they were doing the work of Allah. Many of those that joined the fight were Muslim extremists including Osama Bin Laden. These extremists used their faith to justify claims that non-Islamic foreigners were infidels or people without faith who must be destroyed. The U.S. supplied the rebel Afghans, including Bin Laden, with billions in secret funds and military training to fight the communist Russian forces (Appleby). That training would soon be used against the U.S.
U.S. Embassies in the Middle East became a popular target for terrorists. In 1979, Ayatollah Khomeini seized power in Iran. The U.S. Embassy in Teheran was overrun by a group of Iranian students and 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days (Dudley,21). Some viewed this attack as a backlash on America for undermining the Ir...
... middle of paper ...
...rism:America’s New Enemy.” World Book Advanced. 2013. N. pag. Special Reports. World Book Online Reference Center. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. .
Bergen, Peter. "What were the causes of 9/11?" Prospect. Prospect Publishing, 24 Sept. 2006. Web. 19 Sept. 2013.
#.UjsSodJwp8F>.
Dudley, William. The attack on America: September 11, 2001. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2002. Print.
“History: What caused 9/11?” 9/11 Education Programme. Institute of Education, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2013. .
Jacobson, Sidney, et al. The 9/11 Report: A Graphic Adaptation. New York: Hill and Wang, 2006. Print.
The 9/11 Commission Report: Final Report of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States. New York: Norton, 2004. Print.
Dr. Robinson, Mathew. “9/11: Other Warnings to the U.S. Government Prior to the Attacks of September 11th, 2001”. Appalachian State University. Web. 01 Aug 2011.
For decades, U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East had depended on a friendly government in Iran. The newly appointed leader, the shah of Iran, began Westernizing the country and taking away power from the Ayatollah, powerful religious leaders. The United States poured millions of dollars into Iran’s economy and the shah’s armed forces, overlooking the rampant corruption in government and well-organized opposition. By early 1979, the Ayatollah had murdered the Shah and taken back power of the government. A group of students who took the American embassy hostage on November 4th, 1979, turned the embassy over to the religious leaders. Carter knew he must take action in order to regain the American embassy and the hostages, but with all of the military cutbacks, the rescue attempt was a complete failure and embarrassment. It took the United States 444 days to rescue the hostages. This was the final straw for many Americans, and enough to push them to the “right” side of the political spectrum, Republican.
Jeffrey David Simon, The Terrorist Trap: America's Experience with Terrorism, 2nd ed. (Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 2001), 188-89.
Following the devastating terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the Unites States found itself in a search for answers and revenge against those that had brought about this atrocity. The attack that has been compared to that of Pearl-Harbor elevated the tracking and collecting of terrorism from barely a priority, to the forefront of the American radar. I honestly believe that terrorism as the #1 priority is destined to remain at the top for the foreseeable future. The elemental thoughts on almost all American minds following the attacks were who had the strength and capability to could carry out such an attack on a country with the world’s strongest military and what led to their focus to attack the Untied States: In short, who attacked us, and why do they hate us? The Untied States formed a bi-partisan 9/11 Commission was formed to trace the roots of Al-Qa’ida, investigate the history of the 19 hijackers, examine missed opportunities of law enforcement officials to avert the disaster, and make recommendations to clean up the faulty incoherent intelligence-gathering operation. The 500+ page 9/11 Commission Report contained thirteen chapters of historical narratives, analysis and recommendations. All ten members of the bi-partisan commission signed off on the report, which has arguably become a national historical document. Just as the 9/11 Commission was created to find answers and recommend necessary follow steps to ensure history doesn’t repeat itself, Lawrence Wright sought answers as to why 3000 American lives were lost in the attacks on September 11th. An experienced traveler to the region, Lawrence Wright endeavored to do his own investigative study into the history, ideology and circumstances behind this large-...
Traister, Bryce. "Terrorism Before The Letter: Benito Cereno And The 9/11 Commission Report." Canadian Review Of American Studies 43.1 (2013): 23-47.MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.
Retrieved April 26, 2010, from http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/debunking-911-myths-planes. The Top September 11 Conspiracy Theories. n.d. - n.d. - n.d. America - Engaging the World - America.gov. Retrieved April 26, 2010, from http://www.america.gov/st/webchat-english/2009/. Facts about the attacks on the World Trade Center, WTC, on 911 - September 11, 2001.
The attacks that occurred on 9/11 took place on September 11th, 2001. In this devastating event, four different attacks had taken place. Each of the attacks were carried out by terrorists. The group responsible for the attack was Al-Qaeda, a militant Islamist organization that is known to be global in present day. The group itself has a network consisting of a Sunni Muslim movement that aims to make global Jihad happen. Furthermore, a stateless, multinational army that is ready to move at any given time. This terrorist group focuses on attacking non-Sunni Muslims, those who are not Muslim, and individuals who the group deems to be kafir. Ever since the late 1980s, Al-Qaeda has been wreaking havoc all around the world. The leader of the group once being Osama bin Laden. Three planes were bound for New York City while another plane headed towards Washington, D.C. which was supposed to take out the U.S. Capitol. Two of the airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center. One plane hitting the North Tower and the other hitting the South Tower. The third plane had crashed into the Pentagon taking out the western side of the building. The last and final plane was focused solely on taking out the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. but failed due to passengers of the plane coming hijacking it from the hijackers. The passengers attempted to take out the hijackers but sadly failed, crashing it into a field in Pennsylvania. Throughout the content of this paper, we will be focusing on the role of media when it comes to 9/11; more specifically: how the media's coverage of 9/11 manipulated our feelings towards 9/11, how it affected Islamophobia in America, and the lasting effects of 9/11.
25.Griffin, David Ray The New Pearl Harbor Revisited: 9/11, the Cover-Up, and the Exposé 2008, Olive Branch Press
September 11th, 2001 is one of the worst days in the United States of America’s history by far. It all began at 8:45am when a stolen airplane crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. Many people believed that this was...
Historical Significance: The September 11th, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, orchestrated by Al-Qaeda and Bin Laden, were the events that launched the U.S. War on Terrorism. Al-Qaeda’s attack on the United States was carried out by members of radicalized Islamic groups, whose objective was to spread jihad against the secular influence of the West. This tragic event provided the historical b...
September 11, 2001 marked one of the most tragic events in United States history. As a way to assure the safety and wellbeing of U.S. citizens shortly after being attacked by al-Qaeda, President Bush stated, “Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts may shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve”. Although President Bush was seen a source of security during a time of need, many citizens felt that his words were not genuine and part of a dramatic story the government wanted its people to believe. Despite the side taken, both perspectives of the argument can agree that the U.S. was attacked by a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda. On that Tuesday morning, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon, and the fourth into a field in rural Pennsylvania after passengers fought back against the terrorist to try and regain control of the plane. This is the story the government wants its people to believe. However, the truths about the attacks on 9/11 are much more frightening. On September 11th, 2001, the United States government betrayed its citizens by allowing the destructive attacks on the Twin Towers, WTC-7, the Pentagon, and Shanksville.
... Sept. 11th, 2001, terrorist attack on theWorld Trade Center and the unreliability of U.S. intelligence onWeapons of mass Destruction in Iraq have been a focus of intense scrutiny in the U.S. in 2004 particularly in the context of the 9/11 Commision , the continuing armed resistance against U.S. occupation of Iraq, and the widely perceived need for systematic review of the respective roles of the CIA, FBI and the Defense Intelligence Agency. On July 9th, 2004 the Senate report of Pre-war Intelligenceon Iraq of the Senate Intelligence Committe stated that the CIA described the danger presented by Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq in an unreasonable way, largely unsupported by the available intelligence. In a briefing held Sept 15th, 2001 George Tenet presented the Worldwide Attack Matrix, a "top-secret" document describing covert CIA anti-terror operations in 80 countries in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. The actions, underway or being recommended, would range from "routine propaganda to lethal covert action in preparation for military attacks". The plans, if carried out, "would give the CIA the broadest and most lethal authority in its history".
9/11 Attacks History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts. (n.d.). History.com History Made Every Day American & World History. Retrieved September 30, 2013, from http://www.history.com/topics/9-11-attacks
There were several conspiracies about the planes that attacked the Twin Towers. One of the planes left Boston's Logan Airport at 7:59 a.m. The hijackers zoomed the plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center at 8:46 a.m. The other plane left Logan Airport at 8:14 a.m. The hijackers flew the plane into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. America had stated that 10 planes were suppose to be hijacked on that day. “Providing new details on the planning of the plot, the commission staff said that al-Qaida planner Khalid Shaihk Mohammed initially proposed a Sept. 11 attack involving 10 planes that would be used to attack CIA and FBI headquarters, unidentified nuclear plants and tall buildings in California and Washington state,” (Brunker). Both planes that flew into the Twin Towers were Boeing 767. The plane was 159 feet long. Another thing that seemed odd was that 9,700 gallons when it should usually have nothing less than 14,000 gallons. The engine was found on Murray Street when it should have been right around the Tower. Things were said about the plane being like a missile since the engine was dropped so far from the Towers. According to German TV footage, the planes front nozzle was caught on fire before going through the building. Conspiracy theories state that there were three things attached to the plan that were likely to explode. After the plane went into the building the plan some how exploded making it look like a missile went into the building or some how it was some sort of bomb. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, drew out the plane and the way the plane was flown into the Towers and it did not seem right. The plane propellers of the Boeing 757 were smaller than the hole it actuall...
BENAC, N. (2011). National security: Ten years after september 11 attacks, u.s. is safe but not