Sept. 11 Accelerated the Emergence of Existing Trends

In thinking about the ways in which Sept. 11 and our responses to it changed America and the world, it's important to remember that some of its impact, and perhaps the most historically significant aspects of that impact, may not have entirely emerged yet. In August 1945, for instance, while the advent of radar, jet technology and nuclear weapons were plainly evident, it would have been close to impossible to foresee the way in which the war effort, both domestically and in theater, would go on to inform the black civil rights movement and women's liberation movement 20-25 years later.

Beyond that, with regard to the most apparent changes to emerge over the past decade, the major impact of Sept. 11 was to accelerate the process of trends whose elements were already in place at the time of the attacks. Again, to use the example of World War II, the scientific trajectory that led to the use of radar, jet technology and atomic fission was already engaged. The war effort simply added an urgency that accelerated the technological advances as well as their application to warfare. The same thing is true for the post-Sept. 11 period regarding networked warfare -- which already accounted for the awesome display of American military power that overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime during the initial invasion -- and the proliferation in the use and application of drones and other robots. The technology and conceptual foundation were already there. The application was accelerated by the nature of the conflicts the U.S. chose to fight in the aftermath of Sept. 11. ...