introduction
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The September 11th 2001 attacks on New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon (Washington D.C.) are generally considered the start of the era of worldwide (global) terrorism in America. With thousands of casualties sustained, 9/11 is considered the most deadly coordinated terrorist attack in history and one of the most reviled acts in American history. The act also represented a turning point and a wake-up call in American history not seen since Pearl Harbour, where America suffered a deadly foreign attack on its core territory. While the events surrounding 9/11 seem firmly rooted in the 21st century, they are in reality the consequences of events that took place in the late 20th century. The following paper will examine what these past actions were, notably the important events that took place in Afghanistan since the 1970s, and their consequences that, directly or indirectly, led to the 9/11 attacks and Islamic terrorism in general.