‘War on terror’: How 9/11 changed the language of conflict

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States and its allies adopted the term 'war on terror' to define a new global approach to military and security policy. This shift in terminology marked a departure from traditional definitions of warfare, establishing a framework that influenced international relations and domestic security strategies for decades.

Analysts suggest that this lexicon fundamentally altered the discourse surrounding conflict. By framing global security challenges through the lens of a perpetual war, the language facilitated the implementation of policies that critics argue led to the systematic erosion of established human rights standards.