Introduction
The topic for this project is September 11th, 2001 from the perspective of George W. Busch. George W Busch was just 34 years old when hijacked planes crashed into the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001. George W Busch had been president of the United States for less than eight months. Ultimately, President George Busch became known as “The Fighter” as President George confronted a crisis unlike any other in American history as well as in world history. During this day in American history, 2977 people were killed by terrorist attacks. The unfolding of events for this particular day and the response by President Busch will be unraveled by discussing the thoughts on the 9/11 attacks by President George. The events of 9/11, the aftermath of the 9/11 attack, casualties of the attack, and concerns that may never be addressed. The event led to President Busch leading a nationwide retort in the precarious days after the terrorist attacks, soothed a grieving county, and exemplified to the nations of the world the vitality of American resolve.
The night before the 9/11 attacks, President George W Busch was in their Texas ranch house, preparing for a busy day ahead. President George went to bed early but was restless and could not sleep. The American president got up and watched television for a while, then returned to bed. At around 3:00 a.m., the president was awakened by one of their aides, who told President Busch that a plane had crashed into the World Trade Center. President Busch turned on the television and saw the burning towers. President Busch immediately realized that this was a terrorist attack (Demir & Guler, 2022). The president called the National Security Advisor, Condoleezza Rice and told Rice to assemble the National Security Council.
George W. Busch then spoke to Vice President Cheney and told Cheney to evacuate the White House. Cheney did not want to leave the premises, but President Busch insisted. The Secret Service then rushed President Busch and their wife, Laura, to an Air Force base in Florida. As they were leaving, President Busch saw the second tower collapsing on television. When President Busch arrived at the base, they went into a secure bunker and continued to monitor the situation (Demir & Guler, 2022). Later that day, President Busch gave a televised address from the bunker, in which the president vowed to find those responsible for the attacks and bring them to justice.
Thoughts on the 9/11 Attacks by President George Bush
In this project, the thoughts and experiences from that day by President George Busch are reflected. According to the American President, September 11th, 2001 was an unforgettable day. The president described this day as one that changed their world and experiences forever (Bush, 2021). At the time that this historical event happened, President George was in Florida and recalls watching the news in disbelief as the towers fell (Bush, 2021). The images of that day are unforgettable – the smoke billowing from the Twin Towers, people fleeing in terror, and the firefighters bravely rushing into danger to rescue the endangered. President George Busch expressed condolences and sympathy to all those who lost their loved ones on that day, and to everyone who had been affected by the tragedy. Later, President George Busch confirmed that the United States had come a long since 9/11, but they must never forget what happened that day. According to President George Busch, they must continue to stand together as a nation and fight for freedom and justice for all.
The Events of 9/11 2001
George Busch believed that nineteen terrorists affiliated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda carried out a string of airline hijackings and suicide bombings in 2001, resulting in the September 11 attacks. It was the deadliest terrorist attack to occur in the United States; there were nearly 3,000 fatalities (Bush, 2021). Four planes were taken hostage in the attacks, three of which were used to strike significant locations in the United States of America. The North and South Towers of the World Trade Center were struck by American Airlines Flights 11 and 175 respectively, and the Pentagon was struck by American Airlines Flight 77. After passengers attempted to subdue the hijackers, United Airlines Flight 93 crashed in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It was thought that the plane was going to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.
George declared a global war on terror while standing in front of a joint session of Congress and on national television. Busch told the American people the following after the recent terrorist attacks: “Today, our citizens, our way of life, and our very freedoms came under attack in a series of premeditated and horrible terrorist acts”(Bush, 2021). People from many walks of life, including secretaries, businesspeople, military and federal employees, parents, friends, and neighbors, were among those who lost their lives. They were all on flights or in the workplace at the time of the attack. Evil and heinous acts of terrorism instantly cut the lives of thousands of innocent people.
They all experienced a mixture of astonishment, enormous sadness, and silent, uncompromising wrath after witnessing photos of planes slamming into buildings, fires breaking out, and massive, massive structures plummeting to the ground. As per President George, the enemy organized the killings to throw their country into turmoil and compel them to retreat. Put another way, America was attacked because of its optimism and promise in other parts of the world. However, the lighthouse was impervious to extinction by any hostile forces. America witnessed evil, the worst of humanity on that day, and in response, they showed the world the finest of what America had to offer (Bush, 2021). As an official in the government, George saw himself as responsible for putting the procedures designed to be followed during times of emergency into action.
Helping those who had been hurt was the greatest concern for America as per President George, while other critical functions of the government would continue as usual. That evening, essential employees were allowed back into the evacuated government buildings in Washington, DC, and activities would return to normal the day that followed. The economy of the United States would not be affected, and it would continue to be open for business (Bush, 2021). This was in addition to the continuation of the stability of their banking system. An investigation into the identities of those responsible for these heinous acts was being carried out. George had issued a command to all intelligence agencies and law enforcement personnel to locate the criminals and bring them to justice.
According to Busch, the people who harbored terrorists would be treated no differently than the terrorists themselves. George was quite grateful to the Congressmen and women who had joined him in condemning these acts. On behalf of the American people, Busch thanked the many foreign leaders who had made contact to express their sympathy and offer assistance. The United States of America, its friends and allies, and everyone who wanted to see the world in peace and security would fight and win the war on terrorism (Bush, 2021). George asked everyone to pray overnight for the victims’ families, the kids whose lives had been flipped upside down, and everyone whose sense of protection and security had been rocked.
On September 20, George gave a message to the American people in which they were urged to remain resolute and calm, particularly in the face of a persistent threat. Busch also reassured them that their nation would finally achieve victory in its fight against terrorism (Bush, 2021). The president told the American people that during the past few days, the entire globe had seen the condition of the union for itself, and it was firm. This was meant to voice the sentiments of millions of people suffering in silence for those times.
The Aftermath of the 9/11 2001 Attacks
In the aftermath of 9/11, President George W. Bush pledged to do whatever it took to bring those responsible to justice. The United States of America and its allies launched a massive military campaign in Afghanistan, toppling the Taliban regime that had harbored al Qaeda. Meanwhile, the President Busch administration aggressively pursued a global war on terrorism, targeting not only al Qaeda but also other extremist groups and so-called “rogue states” believed to support them. The 9/11 attacks had a profound impact on American foreign policy and security posture. In the years that followed, the United States of America increased its military and intelligence operations around the world, as well as its homeland security efforts (Farag, 2020). The attacks also spurred Congress to pass sweeping legislation overhauling the intelligence agencies of the nation and strengthening aviation security (Garfin, Poulin, Blum, & Silver, 2018). The events of September 11th, 2001 continue to shape the response of America to terrorism and other threats today.
Casualties of the Attack
The September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks were a devastating and tragic event. The death toll from the attacks was 2,996 people, including 19 hijackers. The vast majority of those killed were civilians, with only 343 firefighters and 72 law enforcement officers among the fatalities. In the days and weeks after the attack, President George W Bush was praised for the leadership and compassion shown. President George Busch visited Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center towers had collapsed, and spoke to rescue workers and first responders (Mann, 2019). The president also addressed the nation in a televised speech from the Oval Office, promising to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice. The popularity of President George Busch increased in the aftermath of 9/11, but would eventually face criticism for handling the War on Terror as the president of the United States of America. Nevertheless, the events of September 11th remain a defining moment in the presidency of George W. Busch.
Conclusion
The events that occurred on September 11th, 2001 spurred five major concerns. On one hand, it is unclear why President George W. Busch invaded Iraq and the main purpose of the war on terror. Thirdly, the total number of people that died as a result of the 9/11 2001 terrorist attack on the United States of America. Furthermore, the motive behind the 9/11 2001 attacks and the people responsible for the 9/11 2001 attacks on the United States of America.
References
Bush, G. W. (2021). 9/11 Address to the nation. In finding freedom (pp. 145-155). Routledge.
Demir, M., & Guler, A. (2022). A comparison of target types, weapon types, and attack types in suicide-terrorism incidents before and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Security Journal, 35(3), 823-848. Web.
Farag, W. Z. (2020). American security strategy towards terrorism after September 11 attacks. Review of economics and political science, 5(4), 323-333.
Garfin, D. R., Poulin, M. J., Blum, S., & Silver, R. C. (2018). The aftermath of terror: a nationwide longitudinal study of posttraumatic stress and worry across the decade following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 31(1), 146-156.
Mann, C. T. (2019). US war costs, casualties, and personnel levels since 9/11. Library of Congress Washington DC.