9-11

      On September 11, 2001 our country was attacked by terrorists.  It was the worst attack on the United States since Japan bombed Pearl Harbor(1941).  Osama Bin Laden sent his agents from the Al Queda terrorist network to America to hijack airplanes and fly them into the World Trade Center Twin Towers and other targets. Four planes were hijacked from our own airports and were intended  be used as missiles on the Twin Towers, The Pentagon, the White House( never made it to White House).   More than 3,000 innocent people died as a result of the attacks.  The nation was crushed as a whole.  Through all the confusion of the "why" and the "how",  America wasn't sure how to react.  President George W. Bush and his Administration didn't waste much time before the United States military invaded Afghanistan, where the Al Queda terrorist network was believed to be.  Two years later(March 19, 2003), the U.S. and the Coalition of the Willing declared war on Iraq.  The coalition forces mostly included the United Kingdom, Austrailia, and Poland.  The Bush Administration justified the invasion of Iraq by accusing Sadam Hussein of having WMD's( Weapons of Mass Destruction). Bush also claimed Sadam of having a hand in the 9/11 attacks and connections with top Al Queda leaders.  On May 1, 2003 the president declared "Mission Accomplished" in a speech to the nation on the invasion of Iraq.  Reports state the there has been more fighting and casualties than before the speech. Today "The War on Terror" is still going on.  Over time, as the years passed, American citizens began to question the decisions that were made by the Bush Administration and the government.
      After the attacks the Bush Administration and the government set out and changed the nations security infrastructure.  New bureaucracies were created.  The Department of Homeland Security was created to protect the nation.  Congress also passed The USA Patriot Act (United and Strengthening America-- Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) in Oct. 2001.  Some think that the Patriot Act is a vital weapon in fighting terrorism and that the law simply allows counterterrorism agents to use tools to avert potential disasters.  It helps prevent terrorism while only posting little violations to citizens civil liberties.  Supporters of this say that invading Iraq was a vital move by the government to help stop the war on terror.
      Osama Bin Laden and the Al Queda network attacked our country and killed thousands of innocent people in a most cowardly way.  Sadam Hussein was a twisted, evil dictator that murdered his own people in unimaginable ways.  They both deserved what they got and i'm even more proud to call myself an American because of it.  But afer the attacks on America I feel like President Bush and the United States government had its own agenda.  I thought The Patriot Act was passed into law so that it could be used against terrorists.  When I read that it can be used on any crime its violating our 4th amendments rights. It goes against our human rights and civil liberties as citizens.  The government tried to get a similar law passed before 9/11 but was unsuccessful.  Bush convinced congress that invading Iraq was a good idea. Was it for oil profits? Or to avenge his father, whom couldn't achieve victory against Sadam??  In the years since 2001, most reasonable people and the media started asking questions wondering if the retaliation to the attacks on 9/11 were handled correctly and objectively.  Its a slap in the face to anyone that lost their lives on that fateful day, and their families, if our government reacted for the wrong reasons instead of for the ones that paid the ultimate price.