Student Question

What are two central ideas of The 9/11 Terror Attacks by Valerie Bodden?

Quick answer:

Central ideas in Valerie Bodden's The 9/11 Terror Attacks include a presentation of the state of the world at the time of the attacks, a detailed description of the attacks, a discussion of the reasons behind the attacks, and an examination of the response and recovery of the US.

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Let's look at some of the main ideas of The 9/11 Terror Attacks by Valerie Bodden. In this book, the author is primarily relating information about the state of the world at the time of the attacks, the nature of the attacks themselves, the reasons behind the attacks, and the recovery from the attacks.

With regard to the state of the world at the time of the attacks, Bodden mentions increasing globalization, the political situation in the United States, and the conditions in Europe, Russia, China, and Africa. Her point here is to set the stage, so to speak, to present the context for the attacks.

As the book continues, Bodden presents Islamic extremism as the primary reason behind the attacks. She explains, for instance, that suicide bombers believe that they will die painlessly and go directly to heaven because of their efforts to carry out the jihad, the struggle against infidels (people who are not Muslim).

Bodden also offers a detailed account of the attacks as well as a description of how the US has tried to recover from the attacks. She focuses especially on the War on Terror that the US carries out against terrorist organizations across the world. Indeed, the US can and is recovering from the 9/11 attacks, but this event has forever changed life in America.

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