9/11 September 11, 2001 Cypress Woods High School

U.S. Foreign Policy The U.S. is the largest supporter of the Jewish state of Israel. The Arab states consider Israel their number one enemy.

August 2, 1990 Saddam Hussein invades neighbor to south, Kuwait. Iraq claims Kuwait as part of Iraq. U.S. and United Nations condemn invasion.

The Gulf War (Desert Storm) U.S. President George Bush (#41) successfully put together a coalition of over 30 nations including neighboring Egypt and Saudi Arabia to drive Iraq out of Kuwait

Saudi Arabia The presence of pro-Israeli U.S. troops on Arab soil (Saudi Arabia) during this time was unacceptable to some Islamic fundamentalists Among them was Osama bin Laden – son of a wealthy Saudi family (he was expelled from Saudi Arabia for speaking out against U.S. troops)

Update: Killed May 2011 by U.S. Forces in Pakistan

Al-Qaeda Bin Laden had financed many the terrorist attacks against countries in the Middle East. The organization that he was a part of has become Al Qaeda They targeted U.S. interests during the 1990’s Bin Laden with current head: Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian surgeon turned radical

February explosion at the WTC in New York City (6 killed) October 1993 – 10 U.S. soldiers killed in Somalia (East Africa) June 1996 – Truck bomb explodes outside a military complex in Saudi Arabia killing 19 U.S. servicemen and injuring hundreds of others August 1998 – bombing of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania (East Africa) kills 224 including 12 Americans October 2000 – bombing of the USS Cole while it is in port in Yemen (Arabian Peninsula) 17 U.S. sailors killed

Terrorist Attacks by Al-Qaeda

September 11, 2001 Pentagon Building Shanksville, PA New York City

2753 victims

911 Hijackers 15 of 19 from Saudi Arabia Some trained at Al-Qaeda terrorist camps In U.S. for a few months and lived in either San Diego or South Florida

War on Terror - Afghanistan Oct 7, Present The U.S. and allies invaded Afghanistan to oust Taliban regime, capture bin Laden and eliminate al- Qaeda

War on Terror – Iraq March 20, August 19, 2010 Goals: Look for WMD (weapons of mass destruction) Oust dictator Saddam Hussein Bring democracy to Iraq

5,800+ U.S. military killed 40,000+ U.S. military injured Iraqi and Afghan civilian and military deaths: Range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands (depends on survey used)

Terrorism Today Civil War in Syria ISIS/ISIL in Syria and Iraq Hezbollah in Iran and Middle East 2015 Terrorist attacks in Beirut, lebanon and Paris