Archive · 12 Sep 2026
Editorial Examines 9/11’s Lasting Legacy of Fear
On September 11, 2001, terrorists hijacked planes and attacked places in the United States.
Nearly 3,000 people died.
The attacks changed how countries thought about safety, travel and terrorism.
The United States then fought wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The editorial says those wars caused many more deaths and suffering.
It also says governments gained more power to watch people and restrict some freedoms.
Muslims and people thought to be Muslims faced more hate and discrimination.
The article says the attacks helped create new conflicts and militant groups.
It asks the world to find ways to end the fear that has lasted since 9/11.
The September 11, 2001 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in the United States.
The editorial says the attacks transformed warfare, air travel, security policies and civil liberties worldwide.
The U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq caused extensive destruction, while new militant groups later emerged.
The attacks intensified Islamophobia, hate crimes, religious divisions and distrust, according to the editorial.
The article argues that 9/11’s deepest legacy is a continuing sense of fear and an era of seemingly endless wars.
- Who
- Terrorists carried out the attacks; nearly 3,000 people in the United States were killed, and governments worldwide responded.
- What
- The September 11, 2001 attacks transformed international security, warfare, civil liberties and social relations, according to the editorial.
- When
- September 11, 2001; the editorial examines the legacy 25 years later.
- Where
- The attacks struck the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C.; their consequences extended worldwide.
- Why
- The editorial says the attacks prompted a so-called war on terror and created lasting fear, conflict, discrimination and restrictions justified in the name of security.
Security and military response
Civil liberties and peace concerns
Expanded security powers
Security and military response
Governments may argue that surveillance and stringent anti-terror laws are necessary to protect people from further attacks.
Civil liberties and peace concerns
The editorial argues that these measures weakened civil liberties, enabled spying on civilians and reduced due-process protections.
Military intervention
Security and military response
The post-9/11 wars can be viewed as efforts to defeat terrorist organizations and prevent further attacks.
Civil liberties and peace concerns
The editorial says the invasions caused widespread death and devastation, violated international norms in Iraq and contributed to the emergence of new militant groups.
Meaning of the lasting legacy
Security and military response
One interpretation emphasizes the destruction of terrorist organizations such as al Qaida through military pressure.
Civil liberties and peace concerns
Another interpretation sees 9/11’s most enduring effect as perpetual fear, Islamophobia, division and continuing wars.
- Attack date
- September 11, 2001
- Deaths in the attacks
- Nearly 3,000 people
- Main attack sites
- New York’s Twin Towers and the Pentagon outside Washington, D.C.
- Major military responses
- The United States invaded Afghanistan and later Iraq.
- Iraq invasion
- The editorial says the invasion occurred without United Nations approval.
- Militant-group impact
- The wars weakened al Qaida but also helped spawn new outfits such as the Islamic State, according to the editorial.
- Global conflict trend
- The Global Peace Index estimated in 2024 that the number of wars was the highest since World War II.