Trained terrorists from the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda launched a major attack on the United States on September 11, 2001, when they carried out a series of premeditated suicide attacks. These attacks not only shocked US but also forever altered the geopolitics of the entire world. But the real question is – Why did Osama bin Laden plot the 9/11 attack? Where did he get the idea of hijacking a plane and attacking the World Trade Center?
Why did Osama bin Laden attack US?
The attacks carried out by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden and his organization were primarily driven by global politics and religious motives. Let’s consider these issues one by one.
- US military action: Bin Laden was most angered by the US establishing military bases in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War between 1990 and 1991. This move, in the country of Mecca and Medina, the holiest sites in Islam, infuriated him. He considered it a foreign occupation of Muslim land.
- US support for Israel: Bin Laden later made clear in several statements and videos that he was angered by the US’s open support and military assistance to Israel’s attacks in Palestine and Lebanon. The massacres and destruction of buildings during the 1982 Lebanon War had fueled his desire for revenge against the US.
- Repression of governments in Muslim countries: Laden believed that US directly supports repressive secular governments in the Middle East, so that they can control their resources, especially oil, and ensure Israel’s security.
What happened on the 9/11 attacks and how?
On the morning of September 11, 2001, 19 al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four planes flying in the United States. With thorough preparation, the terrorists divided into four groups and carried out the attacks as planned. Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in these terrorist attacks. If we consider the statistics, a total of 2,977 innocent people lost their lives. This number excludes the kidnappers. This number includes those in New York, the Pentagon, and the passengers on the planes.
- First Attack: The first attack on 9/11 occurred at 8:46 a.m. when USn Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. This caused a catastrophe.
- Second Attack: Before anyone could even process the consequences of the first attack, United Airlines Flight 175 crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center at 9:03 a.m. Both towers were engulfed in massive flames and collapsed like a house of cards within hours.
- Third attack: US Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the Pentagon, the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, near Washington, DC. The attack occurred at 9:37 a.m., sending shockwaves through the country.
- Fourth Plane: At 10:03 a.m., the fourth plane crashed. United Airlines Flight 93 was likely aimed at the White House or the US Capitol. However, passengers on board confronted the terrorists, forcing the plane to crash into an empty field in Pennsylvania before reaching Washington.
What did the United States do after the attacks?
The 9/11 attacks shook US. Immediately afterward, the then-President George W. Bush declared the War on Terror.
- Invasion of Afghanistan: Taliban-ruled Afghanistan had harbored Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda, so in October 2001, the US military, along with NATO allies, invaded Afghanistan. The Taliban were ousted from power.
- Domestic security and laws were strengthened: The US passed the Patriot Act to strengthen its internal security, significantly strengthening the country’s intelligence agencies and air defenses. The Department of Homeland Security was also created.
- Iraq War: In 2003, the US overthrew Saddam Hussein’s regime, claiming that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction and could be linked to terrorism.
The end of bin Laden
After remaining hidden from the world for nearly a decade after the attack, on the night of May 2, 2011, on the orders of US President Barack Obama, US Navy Special Commandos SEAL Team 6 raided a secret hideout in Abbottabad, Pakistan and killed Osama bin Laden.
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