Perspectives on 9/11

The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, are difficult to refer to in the past tense. The events of that date changed the United States and the entire world to the point that the pre-9/11 period and post-9/11 epoch now have to be understood by completely different parameters. Its editors conceived this book only a few hours after the World Trade Towers had collapsed.

In an age where nothing is definitive this book frames 9/11 in terms of fresh insights and new interpretations that should last beyond its immediate timeframe. Various experts in the fields analyze the issues of terror, strategy, foreign policy, multilateral diplomacy, homeland security, community response, and others. This book is comprised of 18 chapters and divided into five parts dealing with specific issues. Each contributor provides their unique voice to the issues addressed, including two survivors of the tragedy, giving this work a multifaceted focus. The result is this volume spanning the period from the day of the 9/11 earthquake to the subsequent years of secondary tremors ending with the Iraq War. The insight and passion forged in this work makes it invaluable to anyone living in the post 9/11 world.

Seeking to explain perceptions in the period between September 11, 2001 and the onset of the war in Iraq, El-Ayouty (Benjamin N. Cordozo School of Law and St. Francis College) and his cohorts gathered articles from rescuers, legal experts, professors, diplomats, and government officials, many of whom were witnesses to the day's events in New York, Washington, and Pennsylvania. They explain what happened to them, how the nature of their professions, their culture, and their spirituality changed, and what they believe should be done to prevent more violence. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

YASSIN EL-AYOUTY is a retired United Nations Principal Officer. He is now Adjunct Professor for the Benjamin N. Cordozo School of Law and Saint Francis College.