Attacks of September 11, 2001 & Wars in Afghanistan & Iraq

Background to the September 11 Attacks Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network, known as al Qaeda, planned and carried out the attacks. Bin Laden wanted to promote a worldwide Islamic revolution. He claimed this required the destruction of the United States. Al Qaeda terrorists began entering the United States in 2000 and were ready for the attack by September 11, 2001.

Background to the Attacks Osama bin Laden Member of a wealthy Saudi Arabian family Wanted to start a worldwide Islamic revolution Angry at the presence of American military in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War Developed a terrorist network called al Qaeda, or “the base” Had links to a 1993 bombing at the World Trade Center Trained attackers that killed American soldiers in Somalia Al Qaeda Made a number of threats against the United States Connected to the bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania Clinton launched a missile attack into an al Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan. Carried out a bomb attack against the USS Cole Terrorists entered the United States in 2000 and enrolled in flight schools to learn to fly airplanes.

9/11/01 19 Terrorists hijacked four planes. The intended targets were: –Twin Towers (North and South) –The Pentagon –Washington D.C. Three of the four targets were hit, Washington D.C. was not.

September 11, 2001 The Death Toll All 265 people on the four airplanes were killed. Estimates of the deaths at the World Trade Center were in the thousands. After years of investigations, the New York death toll stood at 2, people died in the attack on the Pentagon. The Nation Reacts People were sad and angry. Many admired New York’s firefighters and mayor, Rudolph Giuliani. Americans reached out to the victims, donating blood and money. Rescue workers from around the country traveled to New York to help at Ground Zero.

The Aftermath Department of Homeland Security created –Heightened security at airports and various mass transit locations. The Patriot Act passed October 2001 – “War On Terrorism” Surge in military enrollment

The War in Afghanistan Analyze the Causes and Effects

Basics Population = 32 million Size = Texas Language = Afghan Persian –70 different languages Ethnicity = Mixed Pastun 50% Associate with Tribes Literacy Rate = 36% Land = Mountain and Desert Landlocked

Afghan History 1979 Soviet Invasion  Beat USSR in 89’ w/ USA aid 1989 – 1996 – Civil War  Taliban wins Taliban “seekers of knowledge” govt. in power –Harsh & repressive government –Radical Muslims –Drug Trade (Heroin)  Famine Extreme Poverty

Taliban Takes Charge of Country

The War in Afghanistan - Operation Enduring Freedom – US aware that Taliban led Afghanistan was hiding al Qaeda and probably Bin Laden and wouldn’t cooperate October 2001: US and coalition launch attack –57 nations aided in the war in some way – –NATO participated in the war as well December 2001: interim new gov’t sworn in US and new Afghan government continued to fight Taliban and al Qaeda –Brutal fighting in mountains, cities, villages –Tribal rivalries + terrorist groups + problems creating stable democracy = brutal war that bogs down the US for over a decade – longest war in US history US officially ended combat mission in Dec but fighting continues to this day with US troops involved

The Iraq War – 3/ /2001

The Bush Argument for Invading Iraq 1.Iraq has weapons of mass destruction –Never found 2.Unfinished Business: –First Gulf War 1991: Operation Desert Storm –Pushed Iraq out of Kuwait … Bush argues we should have finished off Hussein 3.Spreading Democracy to Middle East 4.Iraq and al-Qaeda? –President tried to make the case that al-Qaeda was hiding in Iraq and allied with Hussein. Later learn not true … but they’re there now. Once Committed – Many Questions About the War: Should we invade? Why are we really invading? After the Saddam Hussein is gone then what? Troop Levels needed?

March 19, 2003: US Invasion begins: much international opposition and even in the US – not like Afghan War April, 2003 – Iraqi gov’t falls May 1, 2003 Pres. Bush declared “mission accomplished”

But… Mission Complicated Insurgency by opponents of the new pro-western Iraqi government Ex-Ba’ath (Hussein’s political party) and ex-military still in government Al-Qaeda in Iraq now a problem, 2004 Kurdish Independence? Shiite militias (Iran aiding them)

Public Opinion of US Around the World Source: Pew Global Attitudes Project report, “America's Image Slips, But Allies Share U.S. Concerns Over Iran, Hamas,” 6/13/06:

US public opinion turns against the war Source: Scott Keeter, Trends in Public Opinion about the War in Iraq, , March 2007: opinion-about-the-war-in-iraq opinion-about-the-war-in-iraq

Bush 43 Approval Ratings

Questions raised by the Iraq War How could the US have been so wrong about Iraq weapons of mass destruction (WMD)? How could the US have been so wrong about aftermath? We’re there: what do we do now? Huge issue in 2004 & 2008 presidential elections ISIS now most serious threat to region and world terrorism

Death of Osama Bin Laden Osama bin Laden, head of the Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, was killed in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, shortly after 1 a.m. Operation Neptune Spear, was ordered by United States President Obama. The mission was carried out by US Navy SEALs from the United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group of the Joint Special Operations Command. He was killed in his compound in Pakistan.

Legacy of 9/11 & Two Wars? Iraq War – US combat mission ended December 2011 –US still has advisors there to help Iraq fight ISIS and al Qaeda in Iraq –US Casualties as of 3/16 wounded: 32,333 killed: 4,488 Afghanistan War – US combat mission ended Dec –US still has thousands of troops to aid Afghan government in fight vs Taliban & al Qaeda –US Casualties as of 3/16 Wounded: 18,675 Killed: 2,229 Cost for both wars est.: $6 trillion

Legacy of 9/11 & Two Wars Did the US lose credibility in eyes of the world? US risks getting bogged down in Middle East Still a need for more stable democratic allies in the region –Iraq & Afghanistan holding on as democracies but face serious issues of stability Issues over privacy and civil rights vs government desire to protect us and power to spy on US citizens – –Patriot Act –Power of NSA (National Security Agency) vm1yLFoaQKhmaTqXk9SA&feature=iv&annotation_id=annot ation_ &src_vid=uXPZ4OXFhiIhttps:// vm1yLFoaQKhmaTqXk9SA&feature=iv&annotation_id=annot ation_ &src_vid=uXPZ4OXFhiI