what caused 911?

Answer 1

Scroll down to the last paragraph for a simple answer, what comes before gives a more detailed background.

What caused 9/11... that's a loaded question that probably depends a great deal on your political views. I'll try to be as neutral as possible.

The fight between Islam (Muslims) and the west has been going on for many many hundreds of years. Early in Islamic History (I believe Islam was started in the 600's)... several hundred years later they took Jerusalem, which Christian armies from Europe tried to liberate. They succeeded temporarily, but eventually lost out again. Islamic armies also took a good chunk of Spain, and kept it for a long time. 9/11 was a culmination of events that had been occuring for hundreds upon hundres of years. Lets skip though to recently.

Radical Islamists, and much of the Middle East for that matter have viewed the American's as somewhat imperialistic... they don't like the fact that A, we're in their business quite a bit, B, we support Israel who most Islamic countries view as a threat. Bottom line, they perceive us as the threat.

This is a relic of the Cold War. Part of the Reason the U.S. was so interested (besides Oil.. although I think that is overplayed) in the Middle East was to keep communism out. While that is no longer a threat, we still maintain a watchful eye on the middle east, partially once again for oil, partially to keep an eye on Israel, partially according to many, to ensure the countries of the middle east "play nice." We invaded Iraq after they attacked Kuwait in 1991. This does not mean however that Iraq and Al Queada had ties to the former government in Iraq (evidence supports that they do NOT, despite what we were told...)

A radical Islamic group named Al Queada, led by Osama Bin Laden has been anti-American for quite some time... although we once supported both him and the Taliban (former Government of Afghanistan) when they were fighting the Soviet Union in the 80's. As I said above, many of these radical Muslims (and many non-radical muslims and people of other religions too) look at the U.S. as a threat to middle eastern security rather than a peacekeeping force.

Al Queada has specific goals in mind - specifically an end to American hegemony in the world and start to an extremist value system based on a distorted view of their religion. They can not however engage us in traditional warfare with tanks, planes, bombs, soldiers, ect. Thats where terrorism comes in. They indoctrinate their members to accept the fact that an honorable death (suicide bombing) is a means to a glorified afterlife. They distort the concept of Jihad. All Jihad means to a typical Muslim is basically to struggle in the name of god. For example, a Muslim who does humanitarian work in Africa or elsewhere, or a Muslim who donates more than he/she can afford to is accomplishing their Jihad. They distort Jihad by calling it some kind of "holy war."

Since they can not fight us with equal weapons, they use themselves as weapons. Members of Al Queada hijacked planes in the United States to fly in to the World Trade center (two planes). Another plane was flown in to the Pentagon, another crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. In response, we attacked the Taliban in Afghanistan because they were supporting Al Queada.

This question is very difficult to answer without making many value judgments.

Answer 2

It was largely as a result of US foreign and economic policies for many decades. Many people around the world expected a major terrorist attack on US soil but most expected it to be a nuclear device. Unfortunately, the current US government is pursuing policies that have alienated the world even more, and has led to an increase in the number of terrorists worldwide. Although the terrorists could have come from any country or any background, it was always more likely they would be Muslim because of what the Koran teaches and because of unconditional support of the US for Israel, even when Israel is wrong (not all Israelis support the policies of their various governments).

Answer 3

Bin Laden and his Islamic fanatic followers. They managed to hurt their own religion beyond repair in a matter of hours.

Answer 4

Check this article:
http://www.prospect-magazine.co.uk/article_details.php?id=7717

Answer 5

watch fahrenheit 9/11.

Answer 6

Islamofascists' ignorant belief they could harm US economy with terrorism.

Answer 7

Liberalisim and political correctness.