The Meaning of September 11

September 11

Traces Chomsky’s account of how the attacks acquire historical meaning as a rupture in the direction of violence and a test of political responsibility.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

An Unprecedented Target An Unprecedented Target from "September 11". An Unprecedented Target The attacks are historically distinctive, Chomsky argues, not because violence on this scale is unknown but because the United States…

An Unprecedented Target from "September 11". An Unprecedented Target The attacks are historically distinctive, Chomsky argues, not because violence on this scale is unknown but because the United States…

An Unprecedented Target The attacks are historically distinctive, Chomsky argues, not because violence on this scale is unknown but because the United States is struck on its own soil. A Reversal of Direction He contrasts the event with Pearl Harbor, emphasizing the difference between attacks on colonial possessions and an attack on the national territory. Historical Weight The distinction challenges a familiar sense of national immunity and reframes the attacks within a longer history of American force abroad.

The Empire’s Reckoning The Empire’s Reckoning from "September 11". The Empire’s Reckoning Chomsky interprets the shock as a crisis inside the political order of American power, not simply a security emergency.

The Empire’s Reckoning from "September 11". The Empire’s Reckoning Chomsky interprets the shock as a crisis inside the political order of American power, not simply a security emergency.

The Empire’s Reckoning Chomsky interprets the shock as a crisis inside the political order of American power, not simply a security emergency. Anger and Authority He points to anger over support for authoritarian governments, policy toward Iraq, and the occupation of Palestinian territories. Unequal Recognition The attacks expose how little attention powerful societies give to grievances familiar to people living under policies they support.

The Choice of Response The Choice of Response from "September 11". The Choice of Response The interviews repeatedly contrast a legal response to terrorism with retaliation that risks multiplying violence.

The Choice of Response from "September 11". The Choice of Response The interviews repeatedly contrast a legal response to terrorism with retaliation that risks multiplying violence.

The Choice of Response The interviews repeatedly contrast a legal response to terrorism with retaliation that risks multiplying violence. Evidence and Law Chomsky argues for identifying suspects, gathering proof, and using international legal procedures rather than treating accusation as sufficient. A Dangerous Alternative An indiscriminate assault could kill civilians and fulfil the strategic hopes of those seeking a wider conflict.

From Threat to Bombing From Threat to Bombing from "September 11". From Threat to Bombing The prospect of military action becomes reality when the United States begins bombing Afghanistan.

From Threat to Bombing from "September 11". From Threat to Bombing The prospect of military action becomes reality when the United States begins bombing Afghanistan.

From Threat to Bombing The prospect of military action becomes reality when the United States begins bombing Afghanistan. The Predicted Cost Chomsky had warned that attacks on civilians would deepen anger and draw more people toward militant causes. Humanitarian Consequences Air strikes and disrupted transport threaten food delivery to a population already facing hunger, turning strategic decisions into immediate civilian danger.

The Historical Verdict The Historical Verdict from "September 11". The Historical Verdict The postface returns to the attacks as a major historical event whose consequences depend on how power responds.

The Historical Verdict from "September 11". The Historical Verdict The postface returns to the attacks as a major historical event whose consequences depend on how power responds.

The Historical Verdict The postface returns to the attacks as a major historical event whose consequences depend on how power responds. Three Central Questions Chomsky organizes the reckoning around responsibility, motive, and appropriate response, while acknowledging limits in the available evidence. A Continuing Test The event’s meaning rests partly on whether societies apply consistent moral and legal standards to themselves and their enemies.

September 11, 2001

In the first days after September 11

September 19–22, 2001

October 7, 2001

In the postface, several months after September 11