Analysis/Critique of a Major Event
Liberty University
HLSC530
Joshua Adams
October 8th, 2025
Abstract
On September 11, 2001 nineteen highly trained terrorists from the international terrorist group
Al Qaida hijacked four commercial aircrafts and crashed one with the north and one with the
south tower of World trade center in New York. Terrorists crashed the third plane into the
Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The passengers of the fourth plane fought back with the hijacker
causing the plane to crash in Western Pennsylvania. More than three thousand people from 93
different countries died in the twin towers. These nineteen terrorist hijackers and suicide
bombers associated with Al-Qaida (International terrorist organization) carried out attacks
against targets in Unites
States soil against its citizens. September 11 terrorist attacks were the deadliest attacks in US
history on American soil against Americans. Homeland security is our priority since it protects
our country from various threats of international, domestic and homegrown terrorism and
cyberattacks as well as natural and manmade disasters and. It ensures the safety and security of
our country, citizens, critical infrastructures and economy. There are different phases of disaster
management which include prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery. All
these phases are interconnected and can only be done with partnership with all the public/
private sector partners including first responders. When we talk about homeland security it’s
not about securing our borders from foreign enemies or protecting our country from domestic
terrorism, it also includes disaster management. To save lives and reduce physical and economic
damage we need more sophisticated, robust and effective preparedness policies, procedures
and framework. “A good way to explore how political theory con- tributes to the study and
application of emergency management is to consider its contributions to organization studies
and theories of public management” (View of a Précis on Political Theory and Emergency
Management, 2025).
“We cannot assume that we can prevent all acts of terror and therefore must also prepare to
minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do occur. As September 11 showed, the
consequences of terrorism can be far-reaching and diverse. The Department of Homeland
Security would ensure the preparedness of our nation’s emergency response professionals,
provide the federal government’s response, and aid America’s recovery from terrorist attacks
and natural disasters” (The Department of Homeland Security - Emergency Preparedness and
Response, 2003). Homeland security just doesn't mean protecting our country from natural
disasters and a terrorist attack can be a disaster as we say September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Mitigation is the phase where emergency management focuses on reducing the loss of lives and
damage to properties by lessening the impact of a disaster, hazard, attack or incident. Due to
the failure of imagination the mitigation efforts before September 11, 2001 attacks were not
adequate. According to 9/11 commissions these capabilities were not effective due to policies
and management. Following were the major mitigation failures.
Infrastructure vulnerability: The design of the twin tower was not capable of handling the
massive attack to the structure and the fire which was caused by the plane crashes.
Border control: Our borders were not very secure and the vetting system was not in place which
made it easy for the foreign terrorists to enter the country and even get the flying training in the
United States.
Finance Tracking: There was not sufficient tracking for the funding and finances for the terrorist
organizations.
Intelligence failure: The intelligence community and law enforcement agencies failed to
effectively share and connect information, allowing the hijackers to operate within the country
without being detected. There was no information sharing mechanism in place for the federal,
state and local agencies to share information and mitigate the threat.
Aviation failure: Aviation security was also insufficient and a failure which made it possible for
the hijackers to board planes with concealed weapons.
Preparedness is the phase to be prepared for the response of a potential disaster, attack or
incident by using resources to create plans, education, training and exercises. The 9/11 attacks
revealed a massive gap in national and local preparedness for a coordinated, large-scale
terrorist attack using hijacked airplanes. Following are the preparedness failures during 9/11
terrorist attacks. “In terms of preparedness, the Department would assume authority over
federal grant programs for local and state first responders such as firefighters, police, and
emergency medical personnel. Various offices in the Department of Justice, the Department of
Health and Human Services, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency currently manage
those programs. In addition, the Department would develop and manage a national training and
evaluation system to design curriculums, set standards, evaluate, and reward performance in
local, state, and federal training efforts” (The Department of Homeland Security - Emergency
Preparedness and Response, 2003).
Lack of unified command: There was no set unified command post for the responding first
responders, including police, pear medic and fire departments. Differing priorities and a lack of
standard operating procedures for large-scale incidents hampered effective coordination at the
World Trade Center (WTC). “The Department would work with federal, state, and local public
safety organizations to build a comprehensive national incident management system for
response to terrorist incidents and natural disasters” (The Department of Homeland Security -
Emergency Preparedness and Response, 2003).
Environmental and health planning gaps: The responding agencies and emergency
management system had no planning for the public health and environmental threats posed by
the collapse of the towers, including the dispersal of asbestos and other toxic materials. Public
health preparedness is a key part of a sound public health infrastructure. The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established a national network for public health
preparedness in October 2000” (Rosenfield et al., 2002).
Lack of training and equipment: In any disaster large scale situation whether its natural disaster
or manmade like terrorist attacks, it’s not only trained first responders who come to the scene
to assist but there are several non-emergency first responders, such as construction and utility
workers involved in the recovery, were not properly trained or equipped with proper personal
protective equipment (PPE) for the toxic environment.
Communications failures: Communication plays a major key role in emergency and disaster
management. In 9/11 terrorist attacks the significant preparedness failure was the ineffective
communication between various first responder agencies (e.g., New York Police Department
and Fire Department of New York). Since all these agencies did not have a compatible
communication radio system? This prevented critical information from being shared, including
reports of structural damage and evacuation orders, medical need and scene security.
Response: After prevention, mitigation and preparedness the next phase of emergency
management is response phase. In the response phase immediate actions are taken to save the
lives and reduce the damage and suffering after a disaster. The response in the 9/11 attack had
a mix of heroic actions and systematic failures.
Resiliency: There were approximately 441 first responders who lost their lives including 343 fire
fighters, 761 law enforcement, 8 paramedics and 55 military personnel lost their lives in
Pentagon. The ultimate sacrifice was done by the firefighters and police officers who climbed
the towers to rescue civilians, are a testament to the bravery on display that day.
Communications overload: Since 9/11 was a massive terrorist attack and the communication
overload was not a surprise. While first responders were saving lives civilian emergency
communication systems, including landlines and mobile networks, were overwhelmed by the
volume of calls.
Lack of command coordination: There was no clear, unified command structure which caused
massive confusion. Due to the lack of communication the agencies, such as the FDNY's focus on
search and rescue and the NYPD's focus on securing the perimeter, led to uncoordinated and
dangerous actions.
Rescue and evacuation: First responders and everyday citizens displayed immense courage and
worked to save lives. Instant evacuation was conducted by the Port Authority officers in the
World Trade Center towers and complex. However, the initial evacuation of the South Tower
was hindered by a lack of coordinated information.
Federal support and response: Federal emergency management agency Federal (FEMA) and the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) response was instant and they provided financial
assistance and coordination, EPA worked on air and water quality monitoring. The FBI launched
a massive investigation, deploying thousands of agents and forensic experts.
Recovery: After the response phase the next phase is recovery to bring the community and
citizens life back to normal and functional. It includes restoring utilities, providing aid to citizens
and rebuilding the infrastructure. “Recovery consists of those activities that continue beyond
the emergency period to restore critical community functions and begin to manage stabilization
efforts. The recovery phase begins immediately after the threat to human life has subsided.
9/11 terrorist attacks recovery was not an easy recovery.
Debris removal: The debris removal was the most important stage of recovery. The cleanup and
removal of debris at the World Trade Center location was the most intense, time and resources
consuming. In recovery efforts several partners worked together which included federal
agencies like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and several public and private sector partners.
Economic recovery: These terrorist attacks caused massive economic damages though
resilience in the private and public sectors helped economic recovery in the following months.
Mental and psychological recovery: Disasters not only cause physical, economical damage but it
has psychological impact on the population. The mental health impact of 9/11 was profound,
leading to high rates of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among first responders and area
residents. Recovery efforts included providing counseling and mental health services, though
barriers to access were noted.
Long-term rebuilding: Rebuilding always takes time, resources and resilience. 9/11 recovery
included the multi-year process of rebuilding at Ground Zero, culminating in the construction of
One World Trade Center and a permanent memorial and museum.
“The changes in the emergency management profession over the past few decades have been
extensive and largely due to lessons learned and research to ensure evidence-based emergency
operations. Many who worked in emergency management on that day have retired or moved
on to other positions. However, there are many lessons learned that should not be forgotten.
The most important is that it takes a community to effectively plan for, respond to, and recover
from a disaster” (Mangeri & Mangeri, 2021).
History of United States homeland security covers all the plans to protect the country from
foreign and domestic terrorist, threats, mass violence, terrorism and all crimes and hazards.
United States homeland security history started from coastal defense (1800-1945) to protect
the harbors and coastal cities. This defense system started from artillery, harbor defense patrol
and evolved to the use of radars and other technologies in World War II. US Coastal defense
evolved drastically from the 1800’s to 1900’s. During the time of 1885 -1945 coastal defense
system was developed into an extensive infrastructure and it added concrete and steel
structures and powerful breech loading
rifles.
Every president had a theory for homeland security and emergency management. The
Declaration of Independence declared the United States as an independent nation.
Homeland security just doesn't mean protecting our country from natural disasters and a
terrorist attack can be a disaster as we say September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Before homeland security the United States had a decentralized system for homeland security
and disaster preparedness. The Department of homeland security was created after the 9/11
terrorist attacks. Before the creation of the department of homeland security, the defense
structure was a mix of military defense, intelligence gathering and border control and emphasis
was not on domestic terrorism or terrorism threats. After the 9/11 Terrorist attacks, 9/11
commission was created. Based on the commission report
The Homeland Security Act of 2002, enacted in response to the September 11 attacks.
After the Homeland Security Act by Congress in November 2002, the Department of
Homeland Security formally came into being as a stand-alone, Cabinet-level department to
further coordinate and unify national homeland security efforts. The Department of homeland
security was created in 2002 and formal operations started on March 01, 2003. The Department
of homeland security has more than 240,000 employees nationwide and internationally and its
third largest cabinet department. The Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) protects our country's borders and manages the flow of people and
Products into and out of the United States. (E. Dahl, 2021) DHS’s responsibilities include such
Varied tasks such as securing the country’s borders, enforcing immigration laws, safeguarding
against cyber threats and preparing for natural disasters. But counterterrorism is the job around
which the department was created, and DHS leaders have consistently referred to it as the first
among the department’s missions. The DHS Quadrennial Homeland Security Review in 2014, for
example, stated that “Preventing terrorist attacks on the Nation is and should remain the
cornerstone of homeland security,” 4 and, more recently, DHS published a strategic plan that
listed as its first goal to “counter terrorism and homeland security threats.” Terrorism is the
unlawful use of violence and intimidation, especially against civilians, in the pursuit of political
aims. Countries which are victims of terrorism fight terrorism and terrorists to make their land
safe. According to the Department of Homeland Security, domestic terrorism is the biggest
threat to the United States of America. Domestic terrorism or homegrown terrorism is a form of
terrorism in which victims "within a country are targeted by a perpetrator with the same
citizenship" as the victims. There are voices coming from all over from antigovernment anti
authority elements, racially and ethnically motivated violent extremists, anti-waters, anti-
abortions, animal rights activists, white supremacy and black separatist. Homegrown violent
extremists are the biggest threat to the security of our country. The Department of homeland
security is responsible for counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, administration and
enforcement of immigration laws, maritime security, protection of critical infrastructures, and
cybersecurity. There are six major components of the department of homeland security which
include:
US citizen and immigration
Customs and borders protection
United States Coast Guards
Cybersecurity infrastructure
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Federal law enforcement training center
There are one hundred and forty-seven federal agencies and departments which work under the
department of homeland security. There are voices coming from every direction in our country.
The United States and western world become victims of terrorism. Terrorist organizations and
their propaganda is a challenge for homeland security. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks President Bush created a department of homeland security exactly like Transportation
security administration (TSA) and the federal air marshal services. According to the homeland
security act of 2002 the mission of the department of homeland security is to stop the
terrorists’ attacks and reduce the United States of America’s vulnerability to terrorist. Manage
damage recovery from terrorist attacks and monitor illegal drug trafficking. Most Department of
homeland security funds and resources were allocated to fight international terrorism but now
the terrorism threat is shifting from international to domestic terrorism. According to homeland
security, domestic terrorism is the biggest threat to the United States security. Now the
Department of homeland security is allocating funds and resources to combat domestic
terrorism due to the increase in mass shooting incidents in the country. The Department of
homeland security is allocating resources to prevent mass violence and shootings. There are so
many different domestic challenges and threats to the United States including white supremacy,
black separatists, and militia groups, antigovernment anti authority violent extremists, racially
and ethnically motivated violent extremists, animal right activists, anti-abortion and anti-wax.
On top of all these problems our country has another big threat which is home-grown terrorism.
Terrorist organizations sitting thousand miles away are recruiting people here in our country to
carry out attacks. People who are on a path to develop an ideology or being radicalized are the
threat to our communities. Terrorists’ organizations recruit vulnerable individuals and radicalize
them to carry out mass attacks on our soil.
Conclusion:
(S. Jones, C. Doxsee, 2022) to evaluate the terrorism threat in the United States, CSIS compiled a
data set of 61 incidents that occurred in the country between January 1 and August 31, 2020.
(The link to the methodology can be found at the end of the brief.) These incidents included
both attacks and plots most domestic terrorist attacks and plots between January 1 and August
31, 2020, were committed by white supremacists, anti-government extremists from the violent
far right, and involuntary celibates (S. Jones, C. Doxsee, 2022).
We believe domestic terrorists pose a present and persistent threat of violence and economic
harm to the United States; in fact, there have been more arrests and deaths caused by domestic
terrorists than international terrorists in recent years. We are most concerned about lone
offenders, primarily using firearms, as these lone offenders represent the dominant trend for
lethal domestic terrorists. Frequently, these individuals act without a clear group affiliation or
guidance, making them challenging to identify, investigate, and disrupt (M. McGarrity, 2019).
Deuteronomy 28:1:68 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to
do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above
all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you
obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in
the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of
your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket
and your kneading bowl.
Worldview
Terrorist attacks are labeled as evil. Bible teachings are about fighting evil by trusting in God's
strength, asking for forgiveness, doing the right things, seeking justice and righteousness.
Christian faith stops you from evil practices and not getting involved in violence and retaliation.
“ The Bible and the Church’s prayers are full of references to the fact that God is on the side of
the
righteous”(The Hub - “O Lord, Make the Evil Be Good” - a Christian Response to Terrorism,
2025) . Terrorism will win if we become hateful and take revenge by being vengeful. “As
Christians, Jesus is very firm in telling us that we are to love and forgive our enemies. It is in the
face of events such as these that such words are the hardest to hear, but they are the words
God,
Himself, has told us to live by”(The Hub - “O Lord, Make the Evil Be Good” - a Christian
Response to Terrorism, 2025) . We can only win to fight terrorism and counter terrorism by
denouncing evil and standing up for the vulnerable. It’s our duty to become strong and protect
ourselves and others from harm by empowerment, education and awareness.
References:
The Department of Homeland Security - Emergency Preparedness and Response. (2003, April 29).
Archives.gov. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/deptofhomeland/sect4.html
Rosenfield, A., Morse, S. S., & Yanda, K. (2002). September 11: The Response and Role of Public Health.
American Journal of Public Health, 92(1), 10–11. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.92.1.10
Mangeri, A. S., & Mangeri, A. S. (2021, September 15). September 11 – Remembrance & Recovery -
Domestic Preparedness. Domestic Preparedness. https://domprep.com/articles/september-
11remembrance-recovery
récis on political theory and emergency management. (2025). Wmpllc.org.
https://wmpllc.org/ojs/index.php/jem/article/view/1631/1659
Holloway, C. (2015, September 15). Alexander Hamilton and American Foreign Policy. The
Heritage Foundation. https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/alexander-hamilton-
andamerican-foreign-policy
Department of Homeland Security, 20 Years After 9/11
[Thesis], Watson Institute, Brown University https://www.csis.org/analysis/war-comes-home-
evolution-domestic-terrorism-united-states https://www.fbi.gov/news/testimony/confronting-
the-rise-of-domestic-terrorism-in-the-homeland
M. McGarrity, (2019), Confronting the Rise of Domestic Terrorism in the Homeland, [Article],
Counterterrorism Division Federal Bureau of Investigation
S. Jones, C. Doxcee, (2022), The War Comes Home: The Evolution of Domestic Terrorism in the
United States, [Article], Center for strategic & Internationla Studies
https://www.openbible.info/topics/security
