INTRODUCTION
The 9/11 attacks had been considered as one of the worst terrorist attacks in human history. On 11th September, 2001, the militant Islamist group Al-Qaeda hijacked four planes in the US mid-flight and three of the flights crashed into prominent American building while the fourth one was diverted from its course by the heroic efforts of its passengers. Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden orchestrated the attacks. He previously denied any involvement in these attacks but later admitted his direct link to the attacks.
On the morning of the sorrowful day, American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center, in Manhattan , New York. Minutes later the South Tower of the World Trade Center was crashed into by United Airlines Flight 175. The West side of the Pentagon was crashed into by American Airlines Flight 77. United Airlines Flight 93 crashed at Pennsylvania, diverted from its course following a passenger revolt.
Al-Qaeda stated that the attack was in retaliation to the US support of Israel and continued presence of the US troops in the middle east.
EFFECTS
As a result of the attacks, the South Tower and the North Tower of the World Trade Center collapsed. Nearly 3,000 people were killed and thousands more were injured in the WTC crashes. 184 people died in the pentagon crash. 40 people died in a Pennsylvania crash.
9/11 has completely changed the lives of many people. Health issues arose because of the toxic debris due to the Twin Tower collapse. The toxic dust led to the deaths of several people. The US economy took a hit and people who had businesses near the World Trade Centre also lost their jobs.
9/11 also became a defining moment for Muslims in America. Following the attacks, anti Muslim incidents spiked in the US. Hatred and resentment against Muslims increased. Many Muslims faced discrimination and racial profiling. Sikhs were also targeted.
Ever since 9/11, the Muslim community had been heavily stigmatized not only on the US soil but throughout the whole world. The whole Muslim community was being unfairly held responsible for the actions of a few. Even after almost 20 years since the attacks, the stigma towards the Muslim community still hadn’t completely subsided.
THE US RETALIATION
In response to the 9/11 attacks, the US president, George W Bush declared a war on terror.
Under Bush’s administration, many innocent Muslims were detained at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, a very controversial US military prison. They were imprisoned under false accusations of terrorism without charge or trial. In the prison, the inmates were physically and mentally tortured in dehumanizing ways. The inmates who were released continue to live with the mental trauma and have never been compensated.
President George W Bush issued an ultimatum to the Taliban who were the de facto rulers of Afghanistan to expel Al Qaeda from Afghanistan and turnover Osama bin Laden. On 7th October , 2001, the war in Afghanistan began. The Taliban’s rule of Afghanistan was overthrown only to be back again almost two decades later. In 2021, under President Biden’s administration, the US military troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan and the Taliban took this opportunity to take over Afghanistan. This immediately led to panic and the Afghan people were trying to evacuate from their homeland.
The war on terror began as an invasion of Afghanistan and also targeted Pakistan. In 2003, the US also invaded Iraq. Iraq was invaded on the false pretext of non-existent weapons of mass destruction. Since then, the war on terror has escalated and spread to other countries.
In Yemen, Libya, Syria, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia, the US had launched drone strikes and air strikes and hundreds of innocent civilians had been killed including women and children. People have been displaced from their homes or became refugees in foreign countries; even schools, homes, mosques were destroyed. People were starving and in need of immediate humanitarian assistance. This had caused a massive humanitarian crisis.
AL-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden had been killed in 2011 by the US forces under President Obama’s administration. However, the war on terror hadn’t ended.
CONCLUSION
If only people could listen to one another and resolve issues without incurring violence, the world would be in a far better place. So many suffering and deaths for what purpose? Could it be called ‘war on terror’ or ‘war on civilians’ when it’s bringing more crises and destroying the lives of innocent civilians? As long as even a single country was at war, we could never say that the world had attained peace. If people were more compassionate and valued the lives of not only themselves but that of others, would things have turned out different?
By Nirmala Pebam
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