Homeland Security 9-11 Event

Homeland Security 9-11 Event

Introduction

The September 11th attacks involved the hijacking of four commercial planes with full tanks of jet fuel, which were used as bombs in an act of terror. The planes were Boeing 767's which weigh about 400,000 pounds when fully loaded. The plane can carry up to 24,000 gallons of jet fuel (The September 11 Digital Archive). Two planes were flown into the two towers of The World Trade Center, one into The Pentagon, and the last aircraft crashed into a Pennsylvania field. We do not know the intended target of the last plane. In short, the effects of September 11th were in the economy, homeland security, and in the hearts and minds of Americans. (Hughes 2009)

Discussion

Nearly 3,000 lives were lost in the tragedy (sadnews). The twin towers of the World Trade Center, five other buildings, and a subway station in New York City were destroyed or partially collapsed; Twenty-three additional buildings nearby were damaged, and a portion of the Pentagon was also severely damaged. (Clarke 2004) Shortly following the attacks, the United States government accused Al Qaeda, an Islamic organization widely held responsible for numerous terrorist acts. Al Qaeda was blamed for funding and carrying out the attacks. This led to the "War on Terror" that included the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan with the support of the United Nations. These measures were also evoked to generate domestic support for the U.S. invasion of Iraq without explicit support or rejection of the U.N. and been used by the U.S. government as a justification to increase pressure on groups accused of being terrorists, as well as governments and countries accused of harboring them. (Tally 2007)

We had to have some kind of preventative action to stop terrorist acts from reoccurring. "The Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001" was just what we needed. The law enhances the surveillance capabilities of the government by increasing its ability to conduct electronic surveillance, tracking finances, and requesting DNA information. Many countries also introduced tough anti-terrorism legislation. Airport screening and security tightened after 9/11. Sports events and any meeting of large attendance were highly secured by searching bags and by implementing metal-detectors. (Irfanoglu 2008)Navy bases were highly guarded and cars were searched. Restrictions in how close citizens can be to a naval ship were enforced. For the most part, our security measures, in my opinion, have prevented several instances of terror or retaliation to the troop presence. Americans had a sense of fear to go to any massively populated events or places like Disney, amusement parks, and airports.

Shortly following the attacks, the United States government accused Al Qaeda, an Islamic organization widely held responsible for numerous terrorist acts. Al Qaeda was blamed for funding and carrying out the attacks. This led to the "War on Terror" that included the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan with the support of the United Nations. These measures were also evoked to generate domestic support for ...