A Quarter Century of Panic
After 9/11, the U.S. government was over-focused on fighting terrorism, losing sight of other threats. Americans are still living with the consequences.
On September 11, 2001, Americans felt a mix of anger and fear after witnessing the attacks on the country. Many wondered what would come next, but the United States quickly became obsessed with the idea of terrorism. In the aftermath, the nation spent trillions of dollars, passed strict laws, established a major new Cabinet department, militarized law enforcement, and launched two major military campaigns.
These actions were all taken in response to the belief that the world had changed forever due to 9/11. However, the reality may have been different. While the attacks were indeed a significant event, many nations, including the United States, may have overestimated the threat posed by al-Qaeda and the capabilities of the terrorists.
The fear and panic that followed 9/11 led to the institutionalization of this mindset, resulting in policies and priorities that were driven by emotions rather than a clear assessment of the situation.
Written by urgent.news from The Atlantic's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
