This is neither a correct description nor a useful terminology for terrorist acts, which are more correctly described as criminal. By calling them war – and naming an opponent, usually al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden – the United States government has justified domestic changes that, before the 9/11 attacks, would have been unacceptable in any free country.
这既非对恐怖主义行为的正确描述，也不是有用的词汇。恐怖分子应该更为准确地被称为罪犯。但是通过称之为战争、并把基地组织及其领导人本拉登点名为对手，美国政府给某些国内变化提供了理由。这些国内变化在9/11袭击之前是不会被任何自由国家所接受的。