The United States was getting ready for the 2000 election in 1999, Maria was commissioned officer. The candidates were Al Gore and former president George W. Bush. Bush won with a total of 271 electoral votes while Gore was right behind with 266 electoral votes. The final 25 electoral votes Bush received to win came from Florida, a swing state. This caused a conflict, with people demanding a recount in Florida believing the Bush had fixed the ballots. A recount had still found in favor in Bush, resulting in his win.
On September 11, 2001, four commercial airplanes were hijacked by a group of terrorists. Of the planes, 2 hit the Twin Towers of The World Trade Center and a third hit the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed in an empty field in Pennsylvania thanks to the courageous passengers who fought back for control of the plane. This plane was believed to be headed towards the White House. Nearly 3,000 people died that day. 2,753 in New York, 184 at the Pentagon and 40 on the crashed plane. These attacks were later revealed to have been planned by the terrorist organization known as Al-Qaeda.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, newly appointed president George Bush decided to send American troops to Afghanistan in an effort to find and eliminate the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. This invasion is known as the War in Afghanistan, even though Congress never declared war. The war began October 7, 2001, after the Taliban, nation leaders at the time, refused to turn him in without evidence of his involvement with the attacks. The war raged on since 2001, about 12 years ago. The war seems to be coming to an end as President Obama has brought back many troops.