At the end of the Cold War (1946–1991) counterterrorist efforts had little impact on American society because they were confined to clandestine operations, criminal prosecution, and an occasional military strike against suspected terrorist camps. After 9-11 America declared war against international terrorism. The subsequent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as new measures to ensure homeland security, have profoundly affected American society and culture.

A New Enemy

Americans are at war in the twenty-first century against a new enemy that includes groups such as al-Qaida and the Taliban. Al-Qaida refers to a loosely-knit international terrorist organization established and led by Osama Bin Laden, son of a wealthy Yemeni family now based in Saudi Arabia. Bin Laden formed al-Qaida to bring together Muslims who had fought against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s. In Arabic, "al-Qaida" means "the base," and Bin Laden meant...