Uriel L.

Flores
History 1700-09
Dr. Jenel Cope
11/20/2017
Primary Source Final Paper
Attack on America was a speech deliver on Sept 20, 2001; 9 days after that fateful attack

on American soil and its people. Attack on America by then President George W. Bush to

members of congress and the American people is one that suggested that freedom is not free but

rather that it comes with great deal of expense. This document expresses the improvements that

have undertaken due to what occurred on September 11th 2001.

George W. Bush's speech Attack on America explains what had happened on the day of

Sept 11, 2001. Bush starts with a short summary of what happened that they and continues to

thank the people and the countries all around the world that had supported the United States with

well wishes. Bush goes on to express that the "enemies of freedom committed an act of war" and

comparing it to the attack on Pearl Harbor Dec 7, 1941(Attack on America). Making this

comparison goes to show that the US has not ever had a surprise attack since Pearl Harbor.

As the speech continues Bush goes on to explain that those who attacked were members

of al Qaeda and whose leader was Osama Bin Laden. Bush exclaims that this group "plot[s] evil

and destruction" in order to establish its radical (or extreme ideology that is far-reaching) beliefs

in the name of Allah (Attack on America). It does well to address also that Bush denounces the

American people to use any ill manners to the Islam community as a whole for there were many

who were faithful to this faith of peace. It was stated that the enemy is a "radical network of

terrorists" who hold power over truth at its core.

 In a Huffington Post article, it was stated that a report that was taken by the FBI

suggested that incidents that were aimed against or relating to "Islam increased by at least 1,600

percent (Blumberg, Huffington Post). This is the price that the people of the Islamic faith had to

suffer, they were used as a scapegoat after the tragedy of the pentagon, WTC, and civilians.

These peoples' freedom of religion was stripped from them by those that committed those terror

attacks, but also by those at home. It was bad enough that those who highjacked the planes

claimed to be followers of Islam, but even worse that the American people sought this faith as

one that instigated terror and violence. Of course, not every person felt this way but by

referencing that 1,600% spike in violence against people of Islam says something completely

different. It is noteworthy to point out that in this same article by Huffington post "prior to 2001,

Muslims had been among the least-targeted religious groups."

As Bush moves through his speech he expresses that terror going unpunished can

"threaten the stability of legitimate governments" following his remarks on countries that have

rallied in support of the US (Attack on America). If people and governments did not heed to

Bush's remarks, it was very likely that further terror strikes on other countries could play out.

Personally I think that those who listened did not decide to act right away because they might

have seen this act as an isolated incident, and maybe saw this group without the means to plan

any further attacks on other countries. What really has historical impact is the creation of

Homeland Security, not necessarily an expense, but rather extra measurement to ensure national

security. According to a Homeland Security page on preventing terrorism, it has a "strong

foundation to protect communities" from threats whether terror or other (Preventing Terrorism).

In any case while 9/11 was undoubtedly a horrific event, it provided the means by which the

country and the like to have tighter security to help prevent further attacks. The founding of
Homeland Security surely increased the ability of the US to have better surveillance on groups or

people that may not have the greatest intentions towards the US.

On a chronology page from Homeland Security there is mention of how little security

there was in the year leading up to the high jacking as well as during. Most notably is what many

Americans who travel are aware of, the high security measure taken by the TSA and screenings

that are performed before boarding a plane. The expense then of not taking the time to further

analyze that those individuals were "carrying weapons, box cutters, and concealed weapons"

may have been crucial to what was to happen (Sept 11 Chronology). It is not certain that if

detaining those individuals would have prevented the high jacking, if it did their might have been

more attempts. The expense that one was to pay at airport checkpoint is not so much when it is

thought of in the greater light of why it is so. Security is of outmost importance when boarding a

plane to ensure the safety of the passengers.

Looking at presidential timeline of Bush on key events that were undertake during his

presidency it seems that all that he aimed to during his presidency was direct. Bush had direct

opinions on issues that were part of the political realm at the time and did not seem to back down

on any of his decisions. I am able to see that same directness in the article Attack on America, he

took a stance to fight terrorism and took what he thought were the necessary steps to to enforce

future safety for the homeland.

The greatest expense and ultimately the cause for the expansion of security is the

thousands of lives that were lost that fateful day of September 11. A loss that tore the country

and was felt in many countries. Bush spoke that the country had "suffered [a] great loss" and

"freedom and fear are at war" (Attack on America). According to an article War on Terror, there

are differing opinions to the US expense of resources in combatting terrorist groups in foreign
countries. Some feel that the US has spent too much time and money to enact revenge rather than

actually combatting the groups that were responsible for the terrorist attacks. In the same article

the expenditure of lives during the war in Afghanistan and Iraq was 6,000 soldiers, 400-900

thousand civilian deaths, and over 4 trillion dollars. All those additional lives that were lost in the

war on terror is yet another aspect that stemmed from the attacks on the World Trade Center.

Overall, Attack on America delivered to congress and the American people is of great

historical significance, because from their more security was brought on as well as pursuit for

terrorist groups. Many lives were lost that day and many more in the years after, but the country

is safer because of all the measures taken to ensure National Security.

 Works Cited

Blumberg, Antonia. "How Being Muslim In America Has Changed Since 9/11." HuffPost, 9
Sept. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/how-being-muslim-in-america-has-changed-
since-911_us_57d1a61ee4b03d2d45992990.
Bush, George W. "The Avalon Project : Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the
American People (As Delivered Before Congress) 9:00 P.M. EDT; September 20, 2001."
Avalon Project - Documents in Law, History and Diplomacy,
avalon.law.yale.edu/sept11/president_025.asp.
"Preventing Terrorism and Enhancing Security." Department of Homeland Security, 20 July
2011, www.dhs.gov/preventing-terrorism-and-enhancing-security.
"September 11 Chronology." Department of Homeland Security, 6 July 2012,
www.dhs.gov/september-11-chronology.
Shah, Anup. "War on Terror Global Issues." Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and
Environmental Issues That Affect Us All Global Issues, 07,
www.globalissues.org/issue/245/war-on-terror.