HIST 405N Week 8 Discussion: Terrorism in the 21st Century
Discuss how you see the "war on terrorism" as of this date. Do you think the United States
... [Show More] should be engaged in such a war? Give reasons for or against this war and whether or not we are giving up our own principles to wage it.
ANSWER
The 21st century saw the dawn of the war on terrorism, as the 9/11 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombing dramatically changed society. Economic issues also moved to the forefront during the Great Recession as awareness of social inequality grew.
In the 21st century, the September 11, 2001 attacks and the Boston Marathon bombings notably changed society in America.
In the early morning on September 11, 2001, 19 Arabic men went aboard on four American planes. These men all belonged to al-Qaeda, an Islamic extremist terrorist group. Just shortly after take-off, these Islamic terrorists took over the cockpits of the planes using mace and box cutters, killing all of the American pilots, and ultimately used pilots of their own (all by which received private flight instructions in American flight schools) to hijack and fly these planes into set targets (Keene, et. al., 2013).
“At 8:46 a.m. the first plane plowed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City, an internationally recognized landmark that symbolized American dominance over the world economy” (Keene, et. al., 2013, p. 874). Seventeen minutes after the first plane hit, a second plane crashed into the South Tower. America now understood that what originally looked like a devastating accident was indeed a coordinated and constructed attack against America. “A third plane crashed into the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defense, in Virginia, the building most closely associated with U.S. military might in the eyes of the world” (Keene, et. al., 2013, p. 874). Meanwhile, the passengers on the fourth hijacked airplane had fought back against the terrorists, reaching the cockpit and ultimately preventing the terrorists from crashing the plane right in the Capitol, “a worldwide symbol of democratic government” (Keene, et. al., 2013, p. 874). This plane ended up crashing to a field in Pennsylvania.
The tragic attacks of 9/11, “reshaped the ongoing debate about America’s role in the world and the best way to protect American citizens” (Keene, et. al., 2013, p. 874).
“After the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the Bush administration declared a worldwide "war on terror," involving open and covert military operations, new security legislation, efforts to block the financing of terrorism, and more. Washington called on other states to join in the fight against terrorism asserting that "either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists" (“War on terrorism”, n.d.). There were many governments that had joined in on this campaign, most often adopting new harsh laws, lifting already established legal protections and improving intelligence work and domestic policing (“War on terrorism”, n.d.).
Critics would say that “war on terrorism” is an idea of repression and fear in which creates enemies and ultimately promotes violence instead of strengthening security and justifying acts of terror (“War on terrorism”, n.d.). “The worldwide campaign has too often become an excuse for governments to repress opposition groups and disregard international law and civil liberties” (“War on terrorism”, n.d.). Critics would also say that government should address the idea of terrorism via international cooperation, which means the use of international law along with respecting human rights and civil liberties. They also believe in addressing the root and causes of terrorism, particularly political alienation because of prejudice, state-sponsored poverty and violence (“War on terrorism”, n.d.).
I can see and understand the ideas behind the critics, but in my own personal opinion, I just don’t think that works, and is unrealistic. The men and women who lost their lives during these selfless and careless acts, along with their families that they’ve left behind, deserve justice. If that means going to war, to defend the country and the people in it, then so be it. Yes, I think that the United States made the right decision in engaging in war.
References
Keene, J.D., Cornell, S., & O’Donnell, E. D. (2013). Visions of America: A History of the United States (2nd ed). Pearson Learning Solutions.
War on Terrorism. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.globalpolicy.org/war-on-terrorism.html [Show Less]