Why has there not been a second 9/11?

Question

Our leaders keep telling us that another terrorist attack can not be prevented. Whistleblowers keep on exposing flaws in our defenses against terrorism, corruption and general incompetance in both our political and military leaders. Its the known goal of the terrorists to kill US civilians, so why aren't there more terrorist attempts?

(On US soil)

Answer 1

I'm still amazed that with all the disasters the US has endured since 9/11 (a blackout that renders the entire Northeast powerless for days, floods, Hurricane Katrina), that al Qaeda hasn't capitalized on them to attack us.

I guess the only reason may be because they're even more inept when it comes to attacks than we are inept in defense.

Answer 2

I believe the goal of Al Qaeda on 9/11 was to cause an earthquake around the world. The targets were the World Trade Center, White House, and Pentagon. The WTC stood for America's economic might, the White House America's political might, and the Pentagon America's military might. By successfully striking the WTC and the Pentagon, they sent a message throughout the world: The US is a paper tiger (which is not true, but of course, this is assymetrical warfare). When the sole superpower of the world is attacked like this, it creates shockwaves throughout the world because it is not expected and if the superpower stumbles like this, what other country is safe? Now that the message has been sent, Al Qaeda does not really need to attack again. But if they do, they will most likely target the White House or other things that have symbolic meaning... but they might target US civilians as well to create fear and de-legitimize the government. It is true that the goal of a terrorist is not to kill people... it is to create fear (hence the word terror) as to manipulate a people towards the terrorist's political (and by probable extension, social/military/economic) goals.

A poster above said that Al Qaeda is "smashed" and non-state actors do not have enough resources to carry out an attack. I would disagree with that assessment. The US, through its "War on Terror," has been particularly helpful to Al Qaeda (though unintentionally I am sure) in garnering support throughout the Muslim and Arab world. This support offers Al Qaeda vast amounts of human and material resources (another example of a non-state actor with vast resources is the Multi-National Corporation). Yet, on the other hand, our nation's resources are being drained in the conflicts we are engaged in... in both human and material resources. More than two thousand years ago Sun Tzu wrote a warning to stay away from protracted warfare because it would drain the Treasury, dull armor and weapons, and waste manpower. There is another resource that Al Qaeda has as well: time. Another reason why there has not been a second 9/11 is because they are waiting. Again, Sun Tzu wrote, "Attack when and where the enemy does not expect it." Al Qaeda is plotting and waiting patiently, and can afford to do so for as long as their organization still exists. Maybe there has not been a second 9/11 because it hasn't happened yet.

However, I do agree with the poster when he/she said, "They don't hate our freedoms, they hate our actions." Otherwise, in 9/11 they would have targetted and destroyed the Statue of Liberty, of which stands for freedom. The targets destroyed in 9/11 are symbols of our POWER... because we have the POWER to impose our will upon others. In this case, the others are fighting back via assymetrical warfare. Be forewarned: Al Qaeda will be the least of our troubles in the future, as current states are facing a crisis... the de-legitimization of the state and the return to the way things were prior to 1648 and the Peace of Westphalia.

Answer 3

There are strong indications that Al Qaeda as such has been effectively smashed (through police work, not military action), although there are many small, independent groups around the world that might claim a kinship with Al Qaeda.

An operation on the scale of 911 is not something that can be pulled off easily and takes years of planning and training and a fairly robust organization. It is doubtful that any so-called non-state actors have the resources currently to pull off something similar.

Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that the goal of any terrorist is not simply to kill civilians. Terrorism is the term for a very specific kind of action that uses the killing of civilians to effect a political goal. If there is no political goal, there is no terrorism, regardless of how many people are killed.

One hears a lot about how "there hasn't been another attack on US soil in the five years since 911," but the largest foreign terrorist attack in the US before that was the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993, and that was eight years before 911.

Finally, whether the next attack comes this year or next year or ten years from now, there will definitely be further terrorist attacks on the US as long as we continue our policies of uncritical support of Israel and military and financial support for dictatorial regimes in the Middle East, such as Saudia Arabia, Egypt, and Syria. Remember, we also supported the right-wing military dictatorships in Iraq (Saddam) and Iran (the Shah) at one time. In the case of Iran, we actually helped overthrow a democratically-elected government in 1953 in a coup that brought the Shah to power.

Think about that the next time you hear someone talking about terrorists hating us because of our freedoms. They don't hate our freedoms, they hate our actions.

Answer 4

Brian Ross of ABC News did a report where he used several sources in the CIA who are both supportive of, and opposed to, the use of waterboarding and other strong interrogation techniques. In that report, he demonstrated that Khalid Sheik Mohammed spilled the beans on several pending attacks, and the whereabouts of Al Qaida personnel.

You can watch the video at the link below:

http://hotair.com/archives/2006/09/20/bombshell-abc-independently-confirms-success-of-cia-torture-tactics/

That's just one of the many reasons that we haven't been attacked. I would expect that we might see some activity this Ramadan, which lasts a month and starts this weekend. What with the 5th anniversary of 9/11 this month.

Answer 5

Beacause Al-Queda is no longer Al-Queda. Due to everything that has happened in the last 5 years they are not as strong as tey used to be and they are losing power on the Iraqi people.
Generally the Al-queda would have control over everyone adn everything over there but now that the US has stepped in and the Iraqi's soo somewhat what freedom is and most want it they are not helping A;-Queda and that's ruining and dismanning them. Also they are mostly in hiding so they are captured.

Answer 6

Our intelligence agencies, Homeland Security, and other agencies have been vigilent in working to prevent such recurrences. Much the same as when a home gets broken into, the residents usually buys a better lock and gets a security system.

Answer 7

Takes years to plan, fund and coordinate. Which works in our favor, as we have time to find leads, suspects, plots.

By the way, don't forget Bali, Madrid and London. There've been plenty of terrorist attacks.

Answer 8

Part of the reason is because we've messed up Al Qaeda's command structure enough to make it difficult for them to operate.

Part of the reason is because the 9/11 hijackers were probably the best they had.

Part of the reason is because killing American civilians is not their top priority.

Answer 9

bush is an idiot in every way except one. he surrounds himself with intelligent people. our CIA, FBI, NSA, and various military special forces involved with finding the enemy are some of the best in the world. we work with other nations and we have excellent intel. but dont be fooled....dont believe everything you hear. i think there have been many terrorist attacks that have been narrowly averted. but the government wont tell us because it would only spread panic.

Answer 10

I've thought for a long time that terrorism wasn't #1 on our list of things to do.