9/11. making a day of terror the plan: –in an attack coordinated over a period of months and...
TRANSCRIPT
9/11
Making a Day of Terror• The Plan:
– In an attack coordinated over a period of months and years, Islamic Terrorists plan suicide missions to hijack commercial airplanes and use them as guided missiles.
• The Targets: – World Trade Center Complex, New
York– U.S Capital Building, Washington, D.C– The Pentagon, Headquarters of the
Defense Department, Washington, D.C
• The Goal: – Kill as many American Citizens as
possible– Disrupt the American Economy– Weaken the United States– Begin a Holy War
9/11/2001• Armed with weapons that were allowed by
airport security, terrorists were able to successfully take control of four 757/767 airplanes.
• One airplane was crashed into each of the World Trade Center Towers in NYC
• One Airplane was crashed into the Pentagon in Washington D.C
• One airplane missed its intended target and crashed in Somerset County Pennsylvania (about 60 miles southeast of Pittsburgh)
• 2,974 People – mainly American Civilians - died in one day
The Pentagon, Washington D.C
The Pentagon, Washington D.C
Flight 93• One of the hijacked airplanes
was intended to be flown into the US Capital Building.
• Once the passengers on board learned about the New York crashes, they tried to retake control of the plane.
• They never got control—However the US Capital was saved
• Everyone on board died when the plane crashed into an empty field
• Events have been put together using cell-phone calls from the plane
Flight 93
• Flight 93 crashed approximately 80 miles from Pittsburgh
• Was only 15-20 minutes from Washington, D.C
Who...? Why…?• 19 terrorists were identified
from airport security tapes• Identified as members of al-
Qaeda, a worldwide Islamic terrorist organization
• Motivation: Hatred of America, Americans and all things associated with Western, Christian, Jewish society.
• Hatred of American Cultural, Economic and Military Power
• Hated of American support of Israel
American Response: At Home
• Increase of security present in public places.
• Creation of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
• Creation of the Department of Homeland Security
• USA PATRIOT Act– Gave the government dramatically new
legal tools to find and fight terrorists– Increased surveillance
• NSA (National Security Administration) Wiretapping and internet surveillance
• More restrictions on everyday life
American Response: Abroad
• The War on Terrorism– President George W. Bush declares a
War on Terrorism under the premise to hunt down those individuals and groups funding, supporting and participating in international terrorism.
– Invasion of Afghanistan – October 2001
– Invasion of Iraq --- March 2003
– 2009-2013: President Obama continues the wars in Afghanistan
– Number of Operations Iraq Freedom and Enduring Freedom casualtiesas confirmed by U.S. Central Command has surpassed 6727 (9/10/2013)
Twelve Years Later
• No major terror attack has occurred on American Soil– Policies working or Luck ?
• Terrorism still considered a major social, political and economic issue– London subway bombings – 52 Killed, Over 700 injured– Boston Marathon Bombing – 5 Killed, over 280 injured
• Worldwide debate over how to fight terrorism– Civil Liberties vs. Security
• World Trade Center site in the process of redevelopment– 1 World Trade Center 1776 feet tall – – To be complete Late 2013 /Early 2014
July 30, 2013
Memorials
Flight 93
Pentagon
World Trade Center Memorial – New York
Death of Osama Bin Laden• May 2, 2011• Continued search since 9/11/01• Intelligence located him in hiding in
Pakistan• Shot multiple times and killed in a
nighttime raid by US Special Forces (Navy SEALs)
• Body identified by DNA, then ‘buried’ in the sea
• Raid was watched via video link by President Obama and Military officials in the US
• Death yielded celebration in NYC, elsewhere
Meaning• The Events of September
11, 2001 are over, but their consequences are still unfolding.
• International Terrorism is America’s new struggle
• Terrorism targets EVERYONE
• Understand how hate and intolerance fuels violence
• Understand why our Armed Forces are deployed and fighting overseas