Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Twenty-Five Years After 9/11, America Assesses War’s Legacy
On September 11, 2001, al-Qaeda attacked the United States.
The attacks killed 2,977 people and changed the country.
American leaders had to decide how to respond.
One option was to target al-Qaeda and its training camps.
Another option was to invade Afghanistan, remove the Taliban and try to rebuild the country.
The article says the United States chose the larger military campaign.
It also says the country has remained involved in conflict ever since.
The author argues that working-class people have carried most of the military burden.
Al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001 attacks killed 2,977 people in the United States.
The attacks struck the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a plane that crashed in Pennsylvania.
The article says the United States could have focused on al-Qaeda or invaded and occupied Afghanistan.
The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force remains in effect, according to the article.
The author argues that the United States has experienced uninterrupted conflict since the attacks, with military service falling mainly on working-class Americans.
- Who
- Al-Qaeda carried out the attacks; 2,977 people were killed, and the United States responded militarily.
- What
- The article examines the legacy of the War on Terror and the choices made after the September 11 attacks.
- When
- The attacks occurred on September 11, 2001; the article looks back 25 years later.
- Where
- The attacks occurred in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania; the subsequent war included Afghanistan.
- Why
- The United States launched its response to pursue al-Qaeda and address the attacks, according to the article.
- Attack date
- September 11, 2001
- Deaths
- 2,977 people were killed
- Attacker
- Al-Qaeda
- Attack sites
- The World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania
- Key legislation
- The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force
- Authorization status
- The article says the authorization remains in force
- Military burden
- The article says military service is borne almost exclusively by the working class