768
edits
Changes
September 11, 2001 attacks (view source)
Revision as of 22:37, March 24, 2007
, 22:37, March 24, 2007no edit summary
The '''Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001''' were the deadliest to ever occur on [[United States of America|US]] soil and had far reaching effects on both foreign and domestic policy.
The '''Terrorist Attacks of September 11, 2001''' were the deadliest to ever occur on [[United States of America|US]] soil and had far reaching effects on both foreign and domestic policy.
The coordinated attacks by [[al Qaeda]] affiliated [[Islam|Islamic]] extremists saw three transcontinental airliners strike the [[World Trade Center]] towers (buildings 1 and 2) in [[New York City]], NY and the [[Pentagon]] outside of [[Washington, D.C.]] within one hour of each other. A fourth airliner crashed in a field in Shanksville, [[Pennsylvania|PA]], failing to reach its objective.
The coordinated attacks by [[al Qaeda]] affiliated [[Islam|Islamic]] extremists saw three transcontinental airliners strike the [[World Trade Center]] towers (buildings 1 and 2) in [[New York City]], NY and the [[Pentagon]] outside of [[Washington, D.C.]] within one hour of each other. The attacks succeeded in destroying both World Trade Center towers as well as a third building in the complex and significantly damaged the Pentagon (though the Pentagon was still able to function). A fourth airliner crashed in a field in Shanksville, [[Pennsylvania|PA]], failing to reach its objective.
The events of the day are often refered to simply as "September 11th" or "9/11."
The events of the day are often refered to simply as "September 11th" or "9/11."
==Timeline of events==
==Timeline of events==
<!-- I have purposefully left this timeline limited to the physical events of the day as response time or lack thereof could be seen as partisan. Feel free to add to the timeline. -->
<!-- I have purposefully left this timeline limited to the physical events of the day as response time or lack thereof could be seen as partisan. Feel free to add to the timeline. -->
==Casualties==
==Casualties==
The total loss of life is constantly being reevaluated to account for wrongly reported missing persons and, in some cases, occurences of fraud. Estimates of more than 6,000 deaths were announced following the attacks. The current estimate is 2996 fatalities as a direct result of the attacks. About 500 foreign nationals from over 90 countries are believed to have died in the attack.<ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>
The total loss of life is constantly being reevaluated to account for wrongly reported missing persons and, in some cases, occurences of fraud. Estimates of more than 6,000 deaths were announced following the attacks. The current estimate is 2996 fatalities as a direct result of the attacks. About 500 foreign nationals from over 90 countries are believed to have died in the attack.<ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>
===On the Planes===
===On the Planes===
<!-- I welcome anyone who can make this presentable-->
<!-- I welcome anyone who can make this presentable-->
American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, suffered 92 casualties (11 crew, 81 passengers). American Airlines 77, a Boeing 757, suffered 64 casualties (six crew, 58 passengers). United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, suffered 65 casualties (nine crew, 56 passengers). United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 suffered 45 casualties (seven crew, 38 passengers).
American Airlines Flight 11, a Boeing 767, suffered 92 casualties (11 crew, 81 passengers). American Airlines 77, a Boeing 757, suffered 64 casualties (six crew, 58 passengers). United Airlines Flight 175, a Boeing 767, suffered 65 casualties (nine crew, 56 passengers). United Airlines Flight 93, a Boeing 757 suffered 45 casualties (seven crew, 38 passengers).
===On the Ground===
===On the Ground===
The Department of Defense reported the deaths of 125 people at The Pentagon. The aftermath of the World Trade Center towers collapsing created a good deal of confusion and has been the main source of discrepancies in casualty estimates. As of October 29, 2003, New York City reported 2605 deaths in the attacks, not counting the passengers and crew of the planes. <ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>
The Department of Defense reported the deaths of 125 people at The Pentagon. The aftermath of the World Trade Center towers collapsing created a good deal of confusion and has been the main source of discrepancies in casualty estimates. As of October 29, 2003, New York City reported 2605 deaths in the attacks, not counting the passengers and crew of the planes. <ref> [http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/Northeast/10/29/wtc.deaths/ "New York Reduces 9/11 Death Toll by 40"] at CNN.com, Phil Hirschkorn, 10/29/03</ref>
==Economic Impact==
==Economic Impact==
The material costs of the attacks are well in excess of one hundred billion US dollars. Factoring in Stock Market losses, loss of revenue in New York City, loss of jobs, impact on air travel, and heighetned security, some estimate the cost approaches two trillion dollars.<ref>[http://www.iags.org/costof911.html The Cost of September 11] Institute for the Analysis of Global Security</ref>
The material costs of the attacks are well in excess of one hundred billion US dollars. Factoring in Stock Market losses, loss of revenue in New York City, loss of jobs, impact on air travel, and heighetned security, some estimate the cost approaches two trillion dollars.<ref>[http://www.iags.org/costof911.html The Cost of September 11] Institute for the Analysis of Global Security</ref>
==Consequences of the Attacks on US Policy==
===Domestic Policy===
The attacks were a direct or indirect cause of massive changes in United States domestic policy. Most notably, the ''Homeland Security Act of 2002'' "established a Department of Homeland Security, as an executive department of the United States" <ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/deptofhomeland/bill/hsl-bill.pdf H.R. 5005 The Homeland Security Act]</ref>, a cabinet level position. One of the tools implemented by the Department is the Homeland Security Advisory System, a color coded advisory system meant to "establish a comprehensive and effective means to disseminate information regarding the risk of terrorist acts to Federal, State, and local authorities and to the American people." <ref>[http://www.dhs.gov/xinfoshare/laws/ DHS Laws and Regulations] Department of Homeland Secuity</ref>
Another notable consequence of the attacks was the ''USA PATRIOT Act of 2001'' ('''U'''niting and '''S'''trengthening '''A'''merica by '''P'''roviding '''A'''ppropriate '''T'''ools '''R'''equired to '''I'''ntercept and '''O'''bstruct '''T'''errorism). The act is was written to expand the authority of law enforcement and the justice system in the pursuit of terrorism suspects.<ref>[http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.R.3162.ENR: ''The USA PATRIOT Act''] LIbrary of Congress</ref>
===Foreign Policy===
<!-- Yeah, this is not my strong suit at all. But it points to the War on Terror, so it does the job -->
The perpetrators of the attacks were soon identified as members of the al Qaeda terrorist organization, headed by [[Osama bin Laden]]. In response, the United States declared a
[[War on Terror]], which comprises United States military action in [[Afghanistan]] and [[Iraq]] as well as a significant increase in intelligence gathering and a new outlook on foreign relations.
==Conspiracy Theories==
==Conspiracy Theories==
In addition to the low-budget film "Loose Change", there is currently a movement among the academic world to publicly broadcast the 9/11 conspiracy, called Scholars for 9/11 Truth. These attempts to blame President [[George W. Bush]] for the September 11, 2001 attacks are often seen as a transparent example of the extreme [[liberal]] bias of college professors, and some professors have been fired for what has been seen as blatant bias.<sup>[http://oneutah.org/2006/02/23/utahpolicy-exposing-liberal-bias-on-college-campuses/]</sup> Others have even discredited some of the responses to the conspiracy theory videos and text, leaving them open for even more discussion. It is also said that many of the professors that were fired were not fired because of their bias, but because they may have been trying to uncover what really happened which was against their interests. This is also widely debated, and the truth will most likely not be released due to lack of evidence on both sides of the argument.
In addition to the low-budget film "Loose Change", there is currently a movement among the academic world to publicly broadcast the 9/11 conspiracy, called Scholars for 9/11 Truth. These attempts to blame President [[George W. Bush]] for the September 11, 2001 attacks are often seen as a transparent example of the extreme [[liberal]] bias of college professors, and some professors have been fired for what has been seen as blatant bias.<sup>[http://oneutah.org/2006/02/23/utahpolicy-exposing-liberal-bias-on-college-campuses/]</sup> Others have even discredited some of the responses to the conspiracy theory videos and text, leaving them open for even more discussion. It is also said that many of the professors that were fired were not fired because of their bias, but because they may have been trying to uncover what really happened which was against their interests. This is also widely debated, and the truth will most likely not be released due to lack of evidence on both sides of the argument.
==Sources==
==Sources==