22 Years Post-9/11: Contemplating on Irreversible Changes

On September 11, 2001, George W. Bush, the former U.S. President, addressed his nation, stating, "Today, we have had a national tragedy. Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country. I have spoken to the Vice President, to the governor of New York, to the Director of the FBI, and I have ordered that the full resources of the federal government go to help the victims and their families and to conduct a full-scale investigation to hunt down and find those folks who committed this act. Terrorism against our country will not stand. And now if you'd join me in a moment of silence. May God bless the victims, their families and America"

 

REUTERS/Sean Adair

9/11 is an unparalleled tragedy that transcends comparison; it was as if the very fabric of reality had been torn in pieces. No history book, no cataclysmic movie, and no amount of imagination could ever capture the profound impact and lasting grip, that 9/11 holds on our collective consciousness.

The world watched in disbelief as the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre reduced to rubble. The horrifying impact of that day still casts a shadow over global security. A stark reminder that the ghost of terrorism looms in the shadows, ready to strike. The attacks carried out by 19 terrorists on September 11, 2001, marked a central moment in 21st-century history that will resonate for decades to come.

The events of September 11, 2001, were a series of synchronized terrorist attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda, an extremist group led by Osama bin Laden. These attacks aimed American’s prestige and power, resulting in widespread devastation of life, and far-reaching consequences in the Middle East.

The causes of the 9/11 attacks were multi-layered and rooted in geopolitical factors and ideological motivations. Firstly, the Afghan-Soviet War of the 1980s played a pivotal role in raising militant networks and produced someone like Osama bin Laden. Secondly, America’s foreign policy in the Middle East, military involvement in regional conflicts, contributed to the motivations behind these radicalized attacks. The perceptions of western hegemony fuelled anti-American sentiments, prompting extremist groups to target prime American buildings on September 11, 2001.

People look out of the burning North tower of the World Trade Center in New York City September 11, 2001.REUTERS/Jeff Christensen JC

It is well known that the 9/11 hijackers were radicalized to the point of sacrificing their lives for what they believed was a religious cause. Jihad. A misinterpreted word, which severely altered the dynamics of global security in the Western world.

On the Tuesday morning of September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked four commercial airliners departing from different U.S. airports. The hijacked planes were American Airlines Flight 11, United Airlines Flight 175, United Airlines Flight 93, and American Airlines Flight 77.

Two Boeing 767 aircrafts: - Flight 11 and Flight 175 were hijacked and crashed into the North and South Towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City.  Flight 11 struck the North Tower at 08:46 AM, followed by Flight 175's crash on the South Tower at 09:03 AM.

The buildings were set on fire, trapping people on the upper floors and covering the city in smoke. In less than two hours, both 110-storey towers collapsed in massive clouds of dust.

Another Boeing 757, bound for San Francisco, Flight 93 was hijacked. 44 passengers on-board resisted the hijackers and the plane crash landed in a field in Pennsylvania at 10:03 AM. Their resistance prevented the plane from reaching its intended target, the White House or the Capitol.

 

Gaping hole at US Pentagon where jetliner crashed. REUTERS/William Philpott GAC/SV

The fourth plane, Boeing 757, was hijacked with 64 on board after taking off from Washington Dulles International Airport. The hijackers steered the Flight 77, and crashed into the western face of the Pentagon building at 09:37 AM. A total of 246 passengers and crew aboard the four hijacked planes died. At the World Trade Center, 2,606 individuals lost their lives. The Pentagon attack claimed 125 lives.

Al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for these attacks, and the United Sates of America launched the biggest manhunt on Osama bin Laden. The Saudi-born militant, Osama bin Laden drove Al Qaeda's ideology of Islamic extremism for the next 10 years.

 

Bin Laden is shown in this file photograph while addressing a news conference in Afghanistan

President George W. Bush, America launched the "War on Terror" and demanded Afghanistan’s unconditional surrender of Osama bin Laden. America invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and overthrew the Taliban regime on December 7, eliminating Al Qaeda's strongholds. Bush rejected any negotiations with the Taliban over Osama bin Laden's surrender, insisting that the bombings in Afghanistan would continue until Laden and his associates were handed over. But the war complicated and prolonged to be the longest war America ever waged on a faceless enemy. This invasion set off a chain reaction of far-reaching consequences in countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. The instability created a domino effect, rewriting the geopolitical landscape in the Islamic nations. The subsequent years saw a lingering conflict as insurgent forces regrouped.

Saddam Hussein addresses the court during his trial in Baghdad February 14, 2006. REUTERS/Chris Hondros/Pool

In 2003, the U.S. led a coalition to invade Iraq, Saddam Hussein who reigned Iraq for almost 24 years was targeted. The reason for removing Saddam Hussein was the belief in Iraq's possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs) including chemical, biological, and ‘possibly nuclear weapons. Bush explained during a speech on December 9, 2006, why the United States was in Iraq despite Saddam Hussein not being responsible for the 9/11 attacks. He stated that Saddam Hussein's regime was perceived as a clear threat by his administration, Congress, and the United Nations. After the events of 9/11, Saddam's regime was seen as a risk that the world could not ignore. The President of Iraq was captured by U.S. forces in December 2003; and 12 million Iraqis participated in free elections. The Iraq War led to sectarian violence, and the emergence of another extremist group, the Islamic State (ISIS). The US-Iraq war became controversial, sparking debates on failures in finding WMDs and use of military force on civilians.

REUTERS/Russell Boyce-Files HB/

Fast forward five years U.S. SEAL Team Six raided an al-Qaeda compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2011. They killed Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and President Barack Obama announced "Justice has been done." Bin Laden's death raised questions about how he had remained elusive for so long, given his location was near Islamabad, Pakistan.

Around the same time, a wave of political change swept across the Middle East and North Africa. A popular uprisings and protests against long-standing dictators shaped the course of the Arab Spring. The Arab Spring, began with the fall of Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali in January 2011, followed by the ousting of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. The region also witnessed the dramatic overthrow of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi in August 2011. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has also been grappling with an escalating unrest from a devastating civil war since March 2011. The Arab Spring's ripple effect grasped Sudan, resulting in the toppling of President Omar al-Bashir in April 2019. In Algeria, President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in the same month. Lebanon too witnessed massive protests erupting in the 2019 and Yemen became embroiled in an unending civil war since in 2015. America played significant role in the events of the Arab Spring. Initially, there was optimism in toppling dictators and support for the pro-democracy movements, but Western policies became complex. This approach led to mixed outcomes and contributed to a problematic geopolitical landscape in the Middle East and North Africa.

Trump signs a memorandum to security services directing them to defeat the Islamic State REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

The ISIS exploited this regional instability, established itself and promoted its extremist agenda. The power vacuums in like Iraq and Syria created fertile ground for ISIS to gain territories and supporters. ISIS exploited the chaos and grievances to launch its self-proclaimed caliphate, and pose a danger to the West once again.By then, Afghanistan became a liability for NATO-led nations to reconstruct and stabilize a repressive country. The conflict was costly and U.S. maintained a military presence in Afghanistan for two decades. In 2021, Joe Biden withdrew U.S. troops and left a fragile Afghanistan back to an authoritarian Islamic regime of the Taliban. This withdrawal has contributed to a lingering sense of animosity between the Taliban and the United States, as the loss suffered on both sides continues to cast a long shadow over their relationship.

A U.S. Marine  talks to Afghan kids, January 19, 2010. REUTERS/Marko

After 22 long years, 9/11 is as a reminder of the enduring challenges posed by extremism. The consequences of 9/11 left a scar on the cognizance of the United States and the world. As the world reflects on the September 11 attacks, it does so with a commitment to vigilance, empathy, and a dedication to learning from the past in the pursuit of peace and stability in an interconnected world.