The US response to the terrorist attacks of September 11th 2001 was to declare a "War on Terror" and to launch military operations in Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban government, which had harbored Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda terrorist network. The US also tightened security measures at home and abroad, created new laws and intelligence agencies to fight terrorism, and worked with allies to disrupt and dismantle terrorist networks around the world. This response also led to the controversial invasion of Iraq in 2003.
