9/11 Made World Aware of Threat of Terrorism: American Scholar
The September 11 attacks stand as a pivotal moment in the annals of American history and the global geopolitical landscape. Resonating with a profound consensus among experts, these events ushered in a transformative epoch in international politics.
Distinguished from preceding terrorist acts both in the United States and abroad, the 9/11 attacks left an indelible mark due to their unprecedented scale, catastrophic loss of life, and meticulously chosen targets.
The repercussions of that fateful day reverberated across the globe. The toll of human lives lost on September 11th numbered approximately 3,000, an unfathomable tragedy that would serve as the catalyst for the United States to embark on what it termed a global was against terror.
Simultaneously, American policymakers harnessed the surging wave of nationalism to stoke the fires of Islamophobia. They deftly associated a broad swath of Muslims with terrorism, exploiting these sentiments to their advantage. The media, too, perpetuated an unflattering portrayal of Islam and Muslims within Western societies, a narrative that still persists. This inexorable process engendered a climate of mistrust and prejudice against Islam and its adherents, igniting fervent debates concerning the delicate balance between security imperatives and civil liberties.
In pursuit of a examination of the impacts of the attacks and its repercussions, IQNA sought insight from Robert Schmuhl, a distinguished professor specializing in American studies at the University of Notre Dame.
Following is the full text of the interview about 9/11 Terrorist Attack:
IQNA: More than 20 years after the September 11 terrorist attacks, it seems that international relations and many issues in this field have been affected by these attacks. What do you think were the biggest global changes after the 9/11 attacks?
Schmuhl: The September 11 attack put the world on notice that terrorism on a massive and lethal scale was a threat to be taken seriously by everyone. Security measures at airports and other places rapidly developed and changed the lives of people not only in the U.S. but also in countries around the globe.
IQNA: Denigrating Muslims as evil and equating Islam with terrorism was a topic that was emphasized by extreme nationalists in the United States and other Western countries after the September 11 terrorist attacks. What do you think was the purpose of these actions?
Schmuhl: Extreme nationalists and others wanted to identify and punish a perceived enemy. While blame in most respects was misplaced, it was a reaction to an event without parallel in U.S. history.
IQNA: What effect did the terrorist attacks have on the domestic politics and social issues of the United States?
Schmuhl: The attacks killed 2,977 people and had the impact of making Americans more aware of international terrorism and the country’s reputation in the world. Americans looked inward and wanted to do what they could to defend the country. President George W. Bush benefited from this new national spirit, and the military actions in both Afghanistan and Iraq proved popular domestically when they began. In 2004, Bush became the only Republican to win the popular vote in a presidential election in the past eight elections (from 1992 through 2020). His standing declined markedly after 2004 in large part because of the public’s criticism of the hostilities being conducted abroad.
IQNA: What do you think is the biggest lesson that can be learned from the 9/11 terrorist attacks?
Schmuhl: With advanced transportation and communication systems, the potential for terrorism on a vast scale is never far away. In a sense, September 11 proved that the world is more inner-connected, even smaller, than someone might have thought previously. A powerful nation, economically and militarily, was attacked at two highly symbolic places: The World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington. Amid the sadness and horror at the deaths of so many people, the U.S. profoundly changed on September 11. The scars from that day will never disappear.
Interview by Mohammad Hassan Goodarzi
Robert Schmuhl is a professor of American Studies and Journalism at the University of Notre Dame, where he holds the Walter H. Annenberg-Edmund P. Joyce Chair. He graduated from Notre Dame and Indiana University-Bloomington, and joined the Notre Dame faculty in 1980. He has also taught or researched at various institutions around the world, such as Australia, Ireland, South Africa, and the UK. He has written or edited fifteen books, mainly on topics related to American politics, history, and culture.
The views and opinions expressed in this interview are solely those of the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect the view of the International Quran News Agency.
