The terrorist attack on 9/11 was primarily motivated by a complex mix of political, religious, and ideological factors. The attacks were orchestrated by the Islamist extremist group al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden. Key motivations included:
- Opposition to U.S. support for Israel and its policies in the Middle East.
- Resentment against U.S. military presence and intervention in Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Somalia, and others.
- Retaliation for perceived injustices against Muslims, such as the 1982 Israeli bombardment of Lebanon witnessed by bin Laden, and other regional conflicts involving Muslims.
- A desire to strike at symbols of America's economic and military power to deter further actions against Muslims.
- Al-Qaeda's broader goal to oppose Western influence and establish fundamentalist Islamic regimes.
Osama bin Laden also saw the U.S. as a "paper tiger," weak and vulnerable based on previous U.S. military withdrawals from Lebanon, Somalia, and Vietnam, which contributed to his belief that a bold attack could succeed. The attacks aimed to provoke the U.S. into a wider conflict and to inspire a global jihad among Muslims against Western powers.
