By Nikos Mottas
On September 11th, 2001, the United States experienced a shocking terrorist attack that killed nearly 3,000 people and wounded thousands more. For ordinary working people, it was a moment of profound grief, confusion, and fear.
But for the ruling class of the United States, it became something else: a historic opportunity. The bourgeoisie, armed with state power and guided by the logic of imperialism, turned the tragedy into a justification for war, occupation, and repression.
From a Marxist-Leninist and anti-imperialist perspective, the true significance of September 11th lies not simply in the attack itself, but in how it was seized upon by U.S. imperialism—and how U.S. imperialism itself created the very conditions that made such an attack possible.
From the very beginning, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) warned that the September 11th terrorist attacks would be utilized for new imperialist interventions, as well as for the intensification of repression under the pretext of “combating terrorism”. “Sympathy towards the victims and the American people cannot and must not turn into sympathy and tolerance for the state policy of the U.S. and other imperialist powers which organize state and parastate terrorism, create and train terrorist groups and armed mercenary death squads”, a KKE statement was stressing out.
Furthermore, the KKE was underlining that the U.S. government and its European allies will focus more intensely on countries and regions of strategic importance, such as Afghanistan, Iraq and other Arab countries, in an effort to intensify an aggressive policy towards Russia and China. At the same time, the Communist Party had called the Greek people to be vigilant in order to resist any “premeditated” attempts for the abolition of democratic and trade union freedoms.
The Roots of September 11th in U.S. Imperial Policy
The mainstream narrative presents 9/11 as an “unprovoked” attack on the U.S. But a historical-materialist perspective reveals a more complex reality. The forces that carried out the attacks were, in many ways, the product of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.
In the 1980s, during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, Washington poured billions of dollars into training, arming, and funding Islamist militias. The CIA-backed mujahedeen were hailed as “freedom fighters” while they waged a proxy war against socialism and Afghan modernization efforts.
Out of this network of U.S.-sponsored fundamentalists emerged groups like Al-Qaeda. Once the Soviet Union withdrew, these forces did not disappear—they turned their weapons against their former sponsor, resentful of U.S. military bases in the Middle East, its support for Israel, and its domination of oil-rich regions.
In short, the seeds of 9/11 were sown by U.S. imperialism itself, which nurtured reactionary forces to serve its own anti-communist objectives, only to face “blowback” decades later.
Thus, even the tragedy of September 11th cannot be understood apart from the contradictions of imperialism. It was both a consequence of U.S. global domination and a tool for its further expansion.
Tragedy as a Pretext: The Launch of the “War on Terror”
Almost immediately after the attacks, the U.S. state began constructing the ideological framework for what it called the “War on Terror.” The narrative was simple yet powerful: the world had entered a new era of danger, and only U.S. military might could protect “freedom” and “civilization.” Behind the patriotic rhetoric, however, lay the familiar goals of imperialism—markets, resources, and geostrategic dominance.
Afghanistan was invaded in October 2001. Sold as a mission to dismantle Al-Qaeda, it quickly became a long-term occupation, with puppet governments installed, mineral resources eyed, and military bases established in a strategic region bordering China, Iran, and Central Asia.
Iraq was targeted next. Despite having no role in 9/11, Iraq was accused of harboring “weapons of mass destruction.” The 2003 invasion shattered the country, destroyed infrastructure, killed hundreds of thousands, and opened its oil resources to foreign monopolies.
The wider Middle East and North Africa became engulfed in destabilization. From Libya to Syria to Yemen, U.S. interventions—direct or indirect—multiplied, leaving behind failed states, sectarian division, and humanitarian catastrophes.
The “War on Terror” became a blank check for U.S. imperialism, allowing it to wage endless war under the guise of self-defense.
Repression at Home: Militarization of Society
The effects of September 11th were not confined abroad. Inside the United States, the bourgeoisie used the atmosphere of fear to justify unprecedented state powers.
The Patriot Act legalized mass surveillance, wiretapping, and indefinite detention, eroding civil liberties in the name of security.
Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities were vilified, detained without charge, and subjected to harassment, creating an environment of suspicion and racism that served to divide the working class.
The military-industrial complex reached new heights. Trillions of dollars were poured into defense budgets, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies, while schools, healthcare, housing, and social programs continued to decay.
As Lenin wrote in Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, “Finance capital finds the pretext for war and the opportunities for expanding its territory and spheres of influence everywhere.” After 9/11, this fusion of monopoly capital and militarism became more visible than ever: repression at home went hand in hand with aggression abroad.
Who Profited from the Aftermath?
The attacks on September 11th devastated ordinary families, but they enriched and empowered others.
Arms manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing reaped massive profits from wars and weapons contracts.
Private contractors such as Blackwater (later Academi) profited from mercenary operations and “security” services in occupied countries.
Oil and energy monopolies benefited from regime changes that secured access to resources in Iraq and beyond.
The U.S. ruling class as a whole strengthened its global dominance while tightening its grip on the American people through fear, nationalism, and repression.
As Lenin noted, “Imperialism is the epoch of finance capital and monopolies, which introduce everywhere the striving for domination, not for freedom.” The victims of September 11th were thus not only those who died in the attacks, but also the millions of workers, peasants, and civilians across the globe whose lives were destroyed by the wars carried out in its name.
From the very beginning, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) warned that the September 11th terrorist attacks would be utilized for new imperialist interventions, as well as for the intensification of repression under the pretext of “combating terrorism”. “Sympathy towards the victims and the American people cannot and must not turn into sympathy and tolerance for the state policy of the U.S. and other imperialist powers which organize state and parastate terrorism, create and train terrorist groups and armed mercenary death squads”, a KKE statement was stressing out.
Furthermore, the KKE was underlining that the U.S. government and its European allies will focus more intensely on countries and regions of strategic importance, such as Afghanistan, Iraq and other Arab countries, in an effort to intensify an aggressive policy towards Russia and China. At the same time, the Communist Party had called the Greek people to be vigilant in order to resist any “premeditated” attempts for the abolition of democratic and trade union freedoms.
The Roots of September 11th in U.S. Imperial Policy
The mainstream narrative presents 9/11 as an “unprovoked” attack on the U.S. But a historical-materialist perspective reveals a more complex reality. The forces that carried out the attacks were, in many ways, the product of U.S. foreign policy during the Cold War.
In the 1980s, during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan, Washington poured billions of dollars into training, arming, and funding Islamist militias. The CIA-backed mujahedeen were hailed as “freedom fighters” while they waged a proxy war against socialism and Afghan modernization efforts.
Out of this network of U.S.-sponsored fundamentalists emerged groups like Al-Qaeda. Once the Soviet Union withdrew, these forces did not disappear—they turned their weapons against their former sponsor, resentful of U.S. military bases in the Middle East, its support for Israel, and its domination of oil-rich regions.
In short, the seeds of 9/11 were sown by U.S. imperialism itself, which nurtured reactionary forces to serve its own anti-communist objectives, only to face “blowback” decades later.
Thus, even the tragedy of September 11th cannot be understood apart from the contradictions of imperialism. It was both a consequence of U.S. global domination and a tool for its further expansion.
Tragedy as a Pretext: The Launch of the “War on Terror”
Almost immediately after the attacks, the U.S. state began constructing the ideological framework for what it called the “War on Terror.” The narrative was simple yet powerful: the world had entered a new era of danger, and only U.S. military might could protect “freedom” and “civilization.” Behind the patriotic rhetoric, however, lay the familiar goals of imperialism—markets, resources, and geostrategic dominance.
Afghanistan was invaded in October 2001. Sold as a mission to dismantle Al-Qaeda, it quickly became a long-term occupation, with puppet governments installed, mineral resources eyed, and military bases established in a strategic region bordering China, Iran, and Central Asia.
Iraq was targeted next. Despite having no role in 9/11, Iraq was accused of harboring “weapons of mass destruction.” The 2003 invasion shattered the country, destroyed infrastructure, killed hundreds of thousands, and opened its oil resources to foreign monopolies.
The wider Middle East and North Africa became engulfed in destabilization. From Libya to Syria to Yemen, U.S. interventions—direct or indirect—multiplied, leaving behind failed states, sectarian division, and humanitarian catastrophes.
The “War on Terror” became a blank check for U.S. imperialism, allowing it to wage endless war under the guise of self-defense.
Repression at Home: Militarization of Society
The effects of September 11th were not confined abroad. Inside the United States, the bourgeoisie used the atmosphere of fear to justify unprecedented state powers.
The Patriot Act legalized mass surveillance, wiretapping, and indefinite detention, eroding civil liberties in the name of security.
Arab, Muslim, and South Asian communities were vilified, detained without charge, and subjected to harassment, creating an environment of suspicion and racism that served to divide the working class.
The military-industrial complex reached new heights. Trillions of dollars were poured into defense budgets, Homeland Security, and intelligence agencies, while schools, healthcare, housing, and social programs continued to decay.
As Lenin wrote in Imperialism, the Highest Stage of Capitalism, “Finance capital finds the pretext for war and the opportunities for expanding its territory and spheres of influence everywhere.” After 9/11, this fusion of monopoly capital and militarism became more visible than ever: repression at home went hand in hand with aggression abroad.
Who Profited from the Aftermath?
The attacks on September 11th devastated ordinary families, but they enriched and empowered others.
Arms manufacturers like Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, and Boeing reaped massive profits from wars and weapons contracts.
Private contractors such as Blackwater (later Academi) profited from mercenary operations and “security” services in occupied countries.
Oil and energy monopolies benefited from regime changes that secured access to resources in Iraq and beyond.
The U.S. ruling class as a whole strengthened its global dominance while tightening its grip on the American people through fear, nationalism, and repression.
As Lenin noted, “Imperialism is the epoch of finance capital and monopolies, which introduce everywhere the striving for domination, not for freedom.” The victims of September 11th were thus not only those who died in the attacks, but also the millions of workers, peasants, and civilians across the globe whose lives were destroyed by the wars carried out in its name.
Marxist-Leninists reject both the reactionary terrorism of groups like Al-Qaeda and the organized, far greater terrorism of imperialist states. Both feed on one another: terrorism provides the excuse for imperialist war, and imperialist war generates the conditions—poverty, occupation, humiliation—that breed more terrorism.
When Washington arms extremists to fight its enemies, and later bombs entire nations to fight those same extremists, it is the workers and peasants who pay the price. The cycle is not an accident—it is inherent to imperialism, which constantly breeds violence and instability.
Only socialism can break this cycle. Lenin reminded us: “So long as capitalism remains what it is, surplus capital will not be used for the purpose of raising the standard of living of the masses in a given country, for this would mean a decline in profits for the capitalists, but will be used for the purpose of increasing profits by exporting capital abroad.” Here lies the essence of imperialist war and its endless justifications.
Remembering the Victims, Exposing the Lie
Every year, U.S. politicians solemnly commemorate September 11th. They speak of “unity” and “sacrifice,” but never of the Afghan child killed by a drone strike, the Iraqi family bombed in their home, or the Libyan city reduced to rubble. The ruling class monopolizes memory, turning it into a weapon of manipulation.
To honor the victims of September 11th honestly, we must also remember those who perished under the bombs dropped in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Their blood is inseparably linked.
Twenty-four years after September 11th, the lessons remain urgent. The U.S. ruling class exploited tragedy to unleash decades of war, strengthen repression, and enrich itself at the expense of humanity. But the attack itself was also a product of imperialism, a consequence of the very policies that armed and nurtured reactionary forces for short-term geopolitical gain.
For Marxist-Leninists, the task is clear:
— Expose the imperialist lies that turned 9/11 into a pretext for conquest.
— Reveal the imperialist origins of terrorism itself.
— Struggle for socialism, the only system capable of ending the cycle of exploitation, war, and terror.
As Lenin put it, “Imperialism is the eve of the socialist revolution.” September 11th was a tragedy for working people, but for U.S. imperialism it was an opportunity. Our duty is to ensure that this opportunity does not go unchallenged, and that the memory of all victims of imperialist war fuels the fight for liberation.
When Washington arms extremists to fight its enemies, and later bombs entire nations to fight those same extremists, it is the workers and peasants who pay the price. The cycle is not an accident—it is inherent to imperialism, which constantly breeds violence and instability.
Only socialism can break this cycle. Lenin reminded us: “So long as capitalism remains what it is, surplus capital will not be used for the purpose of raising the standard of living of the masses in a given country, for this would mean a decline in profits for the capitalists, but will be used for the purpose of increasing profits by exporting capital abroad.” Here lies the essence of imperialist war and its endless justifications.
Remembering the Victims, Exposing the Lie
Every year, U.S. politicians solemnly commemorate September 11th. They speak of “unity” and “sacrifice,” but never of the Afghan child killed by a drone strike, the Iraqi family bombed in their home, or the Libyan city reduced to rubble. The ruling class monopolizes memory, turning it into a weapon of manipulation.
To honor the victims of September 11th honestly, we must also remember those who perished under the bombs dropped in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Their blood is inseparably linked.
Twenty-four years after September 11th, the lessons remain urgent. The U.S. ruling class exploited tragedy to unleash decades of war, strengthen repression, and enrich itself at the expense of humanity. But the attack itself was also a product of imperialism, a consequence of the very policies that armed and nurtured reactionary forces for short-term geopolitical gain.
For Marxist-Leninists, the task is clear:
— Expose the imperialist lies that turned 9/11 into a pretext for conquest.
— Reveal the imperialist origins of terrorism itself.
— Struggle for socialism, the only system capable of ending the cycle of exploitation, war, and terror.
As Lenin put it, “Imperialism is the eve of the socialist revolution.” September 11th was a tragedy for working people, but for U.S. imperialism it was an opportunity. Our duty is to ensure that this opportunity does not go unchallenged, and that the memory of all victims of imperialist war fuels the fight for liberation.
* Nikos Mottas is the Editor-in-Chief of In Defense of Communism.
