The 9-11 terrorist attacks had a series of different effects on both society and government perceptions and objectives; consequently, the foreign policy of the United States has been reshaped too. At the same time the 9-11 attacks have prompted a critic attitude, domestically and externally, to both the American objectives and way of living of this society.

The psychological and physical effects of the attacks have also been reflected in the political structure of the country. The attacks have been taken into consideration when it comes to political manipulation or electoral campaigns. This obeys to the fact that American society is now more fearful and conscious of the possible threats that its citizens are bound to suffer unless the government implements the right measures and policies so as to prevent further attacks.

The recent congressional elections gave new ground for the Republican’s aims, allowing President Bush’s policies to be more easily accepted. The rise of the right-wing can be seen as the strategic failure of moderates, especially of the democrats, which have no control in the legislative and executive branch. Their failure is due to the fact that they were not able to take advantage of the terrorist attacks and use them efficiently in their campaign.

Some authors point out that the main problem Americans face when fighting terrorism has to deal with a misconception of what the main interests of terrorist organizations are when attacking the US. For many Americans and intellectuals the target of the acts was to undermine the structural values and way of living of the American society. Nevertheless, Noam Chomsky and Michael Madelbaum would agree that the attacks have to be explained as a consequence of American foreign interventionism that has created a widely spread anti-American sentiment, especially in regions such as Latin America or the Middle East.

Daniel Vernet, from Le Monde, may also argue that American interests, especially their interests on oil reserves in the Middle East, have given the support to likely fictitious objectives such as implementing democracy and overthrowing pro-terrorist governments. For these authors, US foreign can be resembled to a façade that aims to cover the truthful interests of the Bush administration.

Civil liberties have also become a part of the debate. The 9-11 attacks made evident the vulnerability of American society; thus, prompting a series of homeland security modifications that will also have an important effect overseas. Critics such as Milton Bearden argue that civil liberties, although, they will be subjected to changes, will remain to be the corner stone of the American way of living, one that is sustained in a democratic society. Nevertheless, the 9-11 did account for some changes within the American society. Americans are now more conscious of the paradoxical relation between civil liberties and security; moreover, the 9-11 attacks have show that US foreign policy and interventionism do have repercussions abroad, and that it is likely that in the future Americans will continue to face opposition from different societies dissimilar to American society in terms of ethnicity, political or cultural structures, or religious preferences.

In the economic aspect, the terrorist attacks made worse an already fragile economy, leaving the American market dependent on world wide speculation. After such tragic events, consumers inside the US were not eager to go out and shop, slowing down the economy even more. With the war on Iraq, the economy has finally a chance to get over the hardships it had because of 9-11.

As mentioned before, ever since the 9-11 attacks the terrorism issue has appeared to be at the top of the priority list both within the United States and overseas. This has proved to be right by the series of changes that the American social and political structures have underwent in recent times. The success of the War on Terror will depend on more factors than on simply the fact of a worldwide US-led anti-terrorist campaign.

Americans must undergo a serious reflection process if they wish to fully understand and prevent more acts like those of the 9-11; avoiding doing so may carry on what some authors like to call a vicious cycle, meaning that American interventionism and support to certain unpopular, though pro-American regimes may have to stop if the US seeks to achieve a thorough solution to the terrorist issue both domestically and abroad.