9/11 and the War on Terror

By Attila the Chunn

  • 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

    9/11 Terrorist Attacks
    Al Quaeda terrorists flew two planes into the World Trade Center buildings in New York. There was also a plane flown into the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. Another plane was intended to be flown into the White House, but passengers onboard the plane resisted the terrorist hijacking and crashed the plane into a feild near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

  • Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists

    This gave the president the right to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against anyone that he determined "planned, authorized, or aided" the September 11 attacks, including those harboring those people.

  • The War in Afghanistan

    The War in Afghanistan
    The War in Afghanhenistan began when US and British forces bombed Taliban and Al Quaeda camps. Later, Special Forces invaded Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government and to find and destroy the Al Quaeda terrorist network. Though the Taliban is no longer in power in Afghanistan, conflict between US coalition troops and Taliban insurgents continues to this day.

  • The USA PATRIOT Act

    The USA PATRIOT Act
    The "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism" Act was passed. It authorized the indefinite detention of immigrants, gave law wenforcement the right to search businesses and homes without the knowledge or consent of the owner/occupant, allows the FBI to search e-mail, telephone, and financial records without a court order, and gave law enforcement greater access to business records.

  • Homeland Security Act

    The Homeland Security Act created the Department of Homeland Security and the cabinet position Secretary of Homeland Security. It also created many of the organizations that excercise the powers of the USA PATRIOT Act.

  • Invasion of Iraq

    US coalition forces began a "shock and awe" campaign against Iraqi forces without formally declaring war. President Bush invaded Iraq because it was suspected that Sadam Hussein was manufacturing/storing weapons of mass destruction, and many suspected that these WMDs might be acquired by terrorists and used against the US. Sadam was captured, put on trial, and hanged later, but WMDs were never found.

  • Osama Bin Laden killed

    Osama Bin Laden killed
    SEAL Team Six infiltrated Bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan at nearly 1:00 AM and killed him with aid from CIA operatives on the scene.