The Fourteenth Anniversary of September 11 and the Ongoing War Against Terrorism

Fourteen years ago on this day, September 11, 2001, the world, especially the people of America, witnessed events in four locations across the country that appeared to mark the beginning of World War III. Although this war was not global in its scope, it became a turning point in American history for the fight against extremist and terrorist groups that continues to this day. George W. Bush, the then President of the United States, identified an unknown organization named 'Al-Qaeda' as responsible for the terrorist attacks on American soil, with its command, training, and operational center located in Afghanistan. He stated in a speech to Congress: 'The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of terrorist organizations known as Al-Qaeda.' The Republican President emphasized that 'America's enemies are the extremist terrorist networks and all governments that support them...' In that speech, George Bush demanded that the Taliban regime in Afghanistan hand over all terrorists who had taken refuge in Afghanistan to the United States as soon as possible, or else they would share in their inevitable fate. The fate of the Taliban regime was sealed, and the fight against the perpetrators of the September 11, 2001 tragedy, especially Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, began with the attack on Afghanistan. Ultimately, it was under the command of Barack Obama, the Democratic President of the United States, that bin Laden was killed in a nighttime operation on Pakistani soil. The U.S. fight against terrorism continues, and the White House spokesperson emphasized the necessity of vigilance among U.S. intelligence agencies in this regard. Josh Earnest stated: 'The U.S. intelligence community is well aware of the standards that the President has set for security and counter-terrorism, and in response to the increasing threats of terrorism, U.S. intelligence agencies have heightened their vigilance and precision in operations, and at the direction of Mr. Obama, the resources for counter-terrorism have also increased.' Over the 14 years since the September 11 attacks, the government and people of the United States have collectively held memorial ceremonies across the country on this day. On Friday morning, the ceremony honoring the victims of the September 11 tragedy began from the southern section of the White House, where Barack Obama and White House staff joined millions of Americans in a moment of silence at 8:46 AM Eastern Time, coinciding with a similar tribute being observed nationwide. In New York, for the first time, the ceremony took place next to a skyscraper over 540 meters tall, built in place of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. On Friday, a large memorial ceremony for the victims of September 11 was also held at the Pentagon, attended by the Secretary of Defense and several military commanders, along with some survivors of the September 11 victims. Additionally, in memory of the approximately three thousand victims of the tragedy fourteen years ago, an equal number of American flags were raised at the memorial site. Members of the U.S. Congress also held their own ceremonies to honor the victims of the tragedy fourteen years ago. On the eve of the September 11 anniversary, the FBI announced that a twenty-year-old named Joshua Goldberg was arrested in Florida. According to the FBI, this young man is accused of planning a terrorist act at the September 11 memorial in Kansas City, which he intended to carry out on Friday. The report from the FBI adds that the arrested young man is a supporter of the Islamic State group and had designed an explosive plan similar to the bombing that occurred a few years ago in Boston, Massachusetts.