The Global War on Terror
The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, left nearly 3,000 people dead and sent shock waves across the United States. After the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon, President George W. Bush announced the Global War on Terror in an address to the nation. Nations across the globe -- including the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey and several other NATO and non-NATO allies -- joined in the campaign to combat terrorism.
The first targets in the War on Terror were Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida in Afghanistan, who were responsible for carrying out the attack on American soil. Other targets were the Taliban regime, as well as terrorist training camps and other insurgent and militant groups in Afghanistan.