September 11 attacks Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! === Military operations === {{further|War on terror|US invasion of Afghanistan}}{{Events leading to the Iraq War}} At 2:40 p.m. on September 11, [[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Donald Rumsfeld]] was issuing rapid orders to his aides to look for evidence of Iraqi involvement. According to notes taken by senior policy official [[Stephen Cambone]], Rumsfeld asked for, "Best info fast. Judge whether they are good enough to hit S.H. [Saddam Hussein] at the same time. Not only UBL" [Osama bin Laden].<ref>{{cite episode |title=Bush's War |access-date=September 4, 2011 |series=Frontline |series-link=Frontline (U.S. TV series) |credits=Written, produced and directed by [[Michael Kirk]], produced and reported by Jim Gilmore |network=PBS |station=WGBH |location=Boston |date=March 24–25, 2008 |time=8:40 |transcript=Transcript |transcript-url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/etc/script.html |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/ |archive-date=December 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211110930/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/bushswar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Cambone's notes quoted Rumsfeld as saying, "Need to move swiftly{{snd}}Near term target needs{{snd}}go massive{{snd}}sweep it all up. Things related and not".<ref name="IraqSuspect">{{cite news |first=Joel |last=Roberts |title=Plans For Iraq Attack Began on 9/11 |date=September 4, 2002 |publisher=CBS News |url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/04/september11/main520830.shtml |access-date=September 4, 2011 |archive-date=May 25, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060525035205/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/04/september11/main520830.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Borger |first=Julian |title=Blogger bares Rumsfeld's post 9/11 orders |date=February 24, 2006 |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/feb/24/freedomofinformation.september11 |access-date=October 7, 2009 |location=London |archive-date=February 11, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090211113142/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2006/feb/24/freedomofinformation.september11 |url-status=live }}</ref> In a meeting at [[Camp David]] on September 15 the Bush administration rejected the idea of attacking [[Ba'athist Iraq|Iraq]] in response to the September 11 attacks.<ref>[http://avalon.law.yale.edu/sept11/911Report.pdf ''9/11 Commission Report''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123013421/http://avalon.law.yale.edu/sept11/911Report.pdf |date=November 23, 2015 }} pp. 334–36</ref> Nonetheless, they later [[2003 Invasion of Iraq|invaded the country]] with allies, citing "[[Saddam–al-Qaeda conspiracy theory|Saddam Hussein's support for terrorism]]".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html|title=President Discusses Beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom|access-date=October 29, 2011|archive-date=October 31, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111031010540/http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2003/03/20030322.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At the time, as many as seven in ten Americans believed the Iraqi president played a role in the 9/11 attacks.<ref>{{cite news |title=US public thinks Saddam had role in 9/11 |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/07/usa.theobserver |date=September 7, 2003 |access-date=March 20, 2017 |archive-date=March 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321084658/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/sep/07/usa.theobserver |url-status=live }}</ref> Three years later, Bush conceded that he had not.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bush: Saddam was not responsible for 9/11 |website=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/sep/12/september11.usa2 |date=September 12, 2006 |access-date=March 20, 2017 |archive-date=March 21, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170321085103/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/sep/12/september11.usa2 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[NATO]] council declared that the terrorist attacks on the United States were an attack on all NATO nations that satisfied [[North Atlantic Treaty#Article 5|Article 5]] of the NATO charter. This marked the first invocation of Article 5, which had been written during the [[Cold War]] with an attack by the Soviet Union in mind.<ref>{{cite web |title=Statement by the North Atlantic Council |publisher=NATO |date=September 15, 2001 |url=http://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2001/p01-124e.htm |access-date=September 4, 2011 |quote=Article 5: The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in the exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defence recognised by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall immediately be reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security. |archive-date=December 25, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225172232/https://www.nato.int/docu/pr/2001/p01-124e.htm%20 |url-status=live }}</ref> Australian Prime Minister [[John Howard]], who was in Washington, D.C., during the attacks, invoked Article IV of the [[ANZUS]] treaty.<ref>{{cite news |title=ABC Conversations with Richard Fidler John Howard Interview Transcript |publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation |date=September 2011 |url=http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201109/r826557_7555516.pdf |access-date=January 25, 2013 |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510233640/http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201109/r826557_7555516.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The Bush administration announced a [[war on terror]], with the stated goals of bringing bin Laden and Al-Qaeda to justice and preventing the emergence of other terrorist networks.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/attacked/transcripts/bushaddress_092001.html|title=Text: President Bush Addresses the Nation|date=September 20, 2001|access-date=July 4, 2015|newspaper=The Washington Post|last=Bush|first=George|archive-date=August 13, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813093643/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/attacked/transcripts/bushaddress_092001.html|url-status=live}}</ref> These goals would be accomplished by imposing economic and military sanctions against states harbouring terrorists, and increasing global surveillance and intelligence sharing.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/news-information/cia-the-war-on-terrorism/Counter_Terrorism_Strategy.pdf|title=National Strategy for Combating Terrorism|date=February 2003|access-date=July 4, 2015|publisher=Central Intelligence Agency|archive-date=February 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150224121111/https://www.cia.gov/news-information/cia-the-war-on-terrorism/Counter_Terrorism_Strategy.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> On September 14, 2001, the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] passed the [[Authorization for Use of Military Force of 2001|Authorization for the use of Military Force Against Terrorists]], which grants the President the authority to use all "necessary and appropriate force" against those whom he determined "planned, authorized, committed or aided" the September 11 attacks or who harboured said persons or groups. It is still in effect to this day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Law 107–40—Sept. 18, 2001: Joint Resolution To authorize the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United States |url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ40/pdf/PLAW-107publ40.pdf |date=September 18, 2001 |access-date=July 4, 2015 |publisher=107th Congress |archive-date=December 7, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181207022906/https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAW-107publ40/pdf/PLAW-107publ40.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> On October 7, 2001, the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]] began when U.S. and British forces initiated aerial bombing campaigns targeting [[Taliban]] and Al-Qaeda camps, then later invaded Afghanistan with ground troops of the [[Special Forces]].{{citation needed|date=November 2022}} This eventually led to the overthrow of the Taliban's rule of Afghanistan with the [[Fall of Kandahar]] on December 7, 2001, by U.S.-led [[International Security Assistance Force|coalition forces]].<ref>{{cite web|title=U.S. Military Operations in the Global War on Terrorism: Afghanistan, Africa, the Philippines, and Colombia|url=http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rl32758.pdf|access-date=July 5, 2015|publisher=[[Air University (United States Air Force)]]|archive-date=September 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923181625/http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/crs/rl32758.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who went into hiding in the [[Spin Ghar|White Mountains]], was targeted by U.S. coalition forces in the [[Battle of Tora Bora]],<ref name="BBC News 2011-07-11">{{cite news |last=Corera |first=Gordon |date=July 21, 2011 |title=Bin Laden's Tora Bora escape, just months after 9/11 |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14190032 |access-date=December 7, 2023 |archive-date=November 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221129165659/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14190032 |url-status=live }}</ref> but he escaped across the [[Durand Line|Pakistani border]] and would remain out of sight for almost ten years.<ref name="BBC News 2011-07-11" /> In an interview with [[Tayseer Allouni]] on 21 October 2001, Bin Laden stated: <blockquote>"The events proved the extent of [[terrorism]] that America exercises in the world. [[George W. Bush|Bush]] stated that the world has to be divided in two: Bush and his supporters, and any country that doesn't get into the global crusade is with the terrorists. What terrorism is clearer than this? Many governments were forced to support this "new terrorism.".. America wouldn't live in security until we live it truly in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]]. This showed the reality of America, which puts Israel's interest above its own people's interest. America won't get out of this crisis until it gets out of the [[Arabian Peninsula]], and until it stops its [[Israel–United States military relations|support of Israel]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Al Qaeda Now|year=2005|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-85911-0|first1=Karen|last1=J. Greenberg|pages=192–206|chapter=October 21, 2001 – Interview with Tayseer Alouni |location= New York, US}}</ref></blockquote> The [[Philippines]] and [[Indonesia]], among other nations with their internal conflicts with [[Islamic terrorism]], also increased their military readiness.<ref>{{cite web|last=Kuppuswamy|first=C.S. |title=Terrorism in Indonesia : Role of the Religious Organisation |publisher=South Asia Analysis Group |date=November 2, 2005 |url=http://www.saag.org/%5Cpapers16%5Cpaper1596.html |access-date=September 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070611032357/http://www.saag.org/papers16/paper1596.html |archive-date=June 11, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Banlaoi |first=Rommel |contribution=Radical Muslim Terrorism in the Philippines |year=2006 |title=Handbook on Terrorism and Insurgency in Southeast Asia |editor-last=Tan |editor-first=Andrew |place=London |publisher=Edward Elgar Publishing}}</ref> The military forces of the United States of America and the Islamic Republic of Iran cooperated to overthrow the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban regime]], which had had conflicts with the government of Iran.<ref name="Politico 2013-11-19" /><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=2008-09-09 |title=Zawahiri blasts Iran for helping Washington |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20080909-zawahiri-blasts-iran-helping-washington-al-qaeda |publisher=France 24 |access-date=2022-04-08}}</ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/iran-gave-us-help-on-al-qaeda-after-9-11/ Iran gave US help on Al-Qaeda after 9/11]. [[CBS News]]. Accessed February 16, 2024.</ref><ref>Ghumman, Kashif Mumtaz. “IRAN-US RELATIONS IN THE POST-9/11 DAYS: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS.” Strategic Studies 22, no. 3 (2002): 170–86. http://www.jstor.org/stable/45242315.</ref>Iran's [[Quds Force]] helped U.S. forces and Afghan rebels in the [[2001 uprising in Herat]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-09-iran-taliban_x.htm|title=Iran helped overthrow Taliban, candidate says|website=USA Today|access-date=January 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129125643/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-09-iran-taliban_x.htm|archive-date=November 29, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spongobongo.com/her9940.htm|title=Iranian Special Forces Reportedly Fight Alongside US in Battle for Herat|website=SpongoBongo.com|access-date=January 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819201520/http://www.spongobongo.com/her9940.htm|archive-date=August 19, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Soufan,2018">[https://ctc.usma.edu/qassem-soleimani-irans-unique-regional-strategy Qassem Soleimani and Iran's Unique Regional Strategy{{snd}}Combating Terrorism Center at West Point]. ''[[Ali Soufan]]''. ''CTC Sentinel''. November 2018, Vol. 11, Issue 10. Combating Terrorism Center{{snd}}CTC at West Point. [https://web.archive.org/web/20181119185404/https://ctc.usma.edu/qassem-soleimani-irans-unique-regional-strategy Permanent link and archived version at Wayback Machine]. [https://archive.today/20181119185830/https://ctc.usma.edu/qassem-soleimani-irans-unique-regional-strategy Permanent link and archived version at the archive.is]. Retrieved and archived on November 19, 2018. [https://web.archive.org/web/20181203191310/https://ctc.usma.edu/qassem-soleimani-irans-unique-regional-strategy/ Permanent link] at [[WebCite]] (November 30, 2018. 14:42:35 UTC).'' [https://perma.cc/LPE7-RC2L Permanent link and Archived Version at Perma.cc] (August 5, 2021). "In the months after 9/11, Soleimani saw an opportunity to defeat the Taliban once and for all by unconventional means{{snd}}namely, cooperation with the United States. Early in the war, he directed Iranian diplomats to share intelligence on Taliban military positions with their U.S. counterparts. The Americans, in return, told the Iranians what they knew about an al-Qa`ida fixer hiding out in eastern Iran."''</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page