9/11 Failing the American Public

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 
     (ironically, it was the United Nations "International Day of Peace")

                                                        Source: Wikimedia Commons

        

      On September 11, 2001, 19 activists associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda commandeer four airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane disintegrated in a field in Pennsylvania. Generally referred to as 9/11, the attacks resulted in widespread death and destruction, triggering major U.S. initiatives to combat terrorism and crucial the presidency of George W. Bush. Over 3,000 people were killed during the attacks in New York City and Washington, D.C., and including more than 400 police officers and firefighters.

                                                Source: Wikimedia Commons

        Firefighters  pump water into the Pentagon Building located in Washington, District of Columbia (DC), minutes after a hijacked airliner crashed into the southwest corner of the building, during the 9/11 terrorists attacks.

       The Pentagon reported 125 staffers killed or missing, including the highest ranking officer to die,  Lt. General Timothy Maude and Max Bielke, who the last official U.S. combat soldier to leave Vietnam. With 118 remains recovered and identified, as of Sep 2002. One person died later as a result of wounds sustained. At American Airlines Flight 64 passengers and Crew died. 

     On 11 Sep 2001 the plane was hijacked by a four man hijacking team. Evidence suggests that the hijacking was apparently thwarted by the efforts of the plane's passengers and flight attendants. The plane crashed southeast of Pittsburgh in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The plan  was carrying 37 passengers and 7 crew members. There were no survivors.

                                                             Source: Youtube
Sources:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_face_south_tower_after_plane_strike_9-11.jpg