Brands chose the title "Blowback" for Chapter 14 to refer to the unintended consequences of American foreign policy actions. Some believe the US had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks but allowed them to happen to unite Americans against a common enemy. While the 9/11 attacks initially increased fear of Muslims, understanding has grown that it was extremist terrorist groups, not all Middle Easterners, that were responsible for the attacks. Perceptions of safety and America's role in international politics changed significantly after 9/11.

1. Initial post: Brands takes as the title of Chapter 14 “Blowback,” which is a
CIA
Initial post:Brands takes as the title of Chapter 14 “Blowback,” which is a CIA term. It also
was the title of a very good trilogy of analyses on U.S. foreign relations in the twentieth
century.Why do you think he chose this term? Does it work as a descriptor for the age? As
we move farther away from the September 11 attacks in terms of time, do you think the
country has come to grips with understanding why the attacks happened? How have
understandings of, for example, race in the United States changed since 9/11?Peer
responses:In response to your classmates, analyze the importance of the attacks on
September 11, 2001 in changing the American perception of safety. How did those events
alter how Americans perceived of their place in international politics?Peer 1.
ChristineWhen I think of the term “Blowback” what comes to mind would be something
along the lines of the consequences we pay for our actions. More specifically when our
actions are not necessarily done with malicious intent but results in something negative. I
think this can be a good descriptor for the age for this age. Looking back to 9/11, though I
was very young, I do remember that day and the fallout of it fairly well. America had a huge
target on its back, and if I remember correctly from my previous classes that cover similar
topics, globalization had a role in this. The world was clearly connected in a way that never
was before. This of course allows for ideas to spread and clash which often gives way to
extremism. The 9/11 attacks were a crushing blow and so much changed after. In some
ways, I think we have come to understand why this happened. We also have the hindsight to
see our missteps in the fallout. At times we had let fear control how we perceived Muslims.
It was justified in some people’s eyes as they did not want something like this to happen
again. Did it make it right? Not by any means, but I think for the most part we see this
now.Peer 2. AmirI believe he chose the term Blowback due to the blowback that American
foreign policies received. I believe many people are coming to grips wit why the attacked
happened and I know many people believe it was an inside job. I personally believe that it
was not an inside job, but that we had good knowledge that it was going to happen. The
reason we let it happen was to bring American’s closer together to fight a “common” enemy
and stop fighting amongst themselves. I also believe that we are about to face another issue
like that in today’s time to hopefully achieve the same affect. I am middle Eastern myself
and I know many people feared Middle Easterns after the attack, but It was the terrorist
group that did it who we all really feared and hated. I do not believe that there is as bad of a

2. race problem in America as people believe or say there is, but that the media only shows
the bad to keep us fighting and arguing so politicians can do more corrupts things. I have
travelled the world with the military and seen just how bad other countries are and just
how good we have it here.