The Conflict

The terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, 2001, underscored the significance of and threat posed by the al-Qaeda terrorist network, comprised of individuals and groups in approximately 50 countries worldwide. The organizational sophistication of the simultaneous airliner hijackings is unparalleled in the modern history of terrorism, which includes a series of major terrorist attacks attributed to al-Qaeda dating back to 1993, and it was a testament to the network's strength and dangerous capabilities.

Political

• Osama bin Laden, the most prominent leader of al-Qaeda, has issued many statements indicating political grievances. These include the U.S. military presence in Saudi Arabia; U.S. sanctions against Iraq; and U.S. assistance to Israel.
• Bin Laden has also often employed more rhetorical language describing what he refers to as a history of "U.S. terrorism," including the atomic bombings in...