The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 had profound impacts on U.S. foreign and domestic policy. Name one major policy or war that followed.

• A. The War on Terror (including the invasion of Afghanistan)
• B. The Gulf War
• C. The Vietnam War
• D. The Korean War

Answer: (A)

The event tests your ability to connect a major threat to a large, sustained policy response. After the September 11 attacks, the United States framed its security effort around a broad campaign known as the War on Terror. This approach wasn’t a single battle but a comprehensive set of foreign and domestic actions aimed at preventing terrorism, dismantling terrorist networks, and reshaping American power to confront extremist threats.

A key part of that response was the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The Taliban government had given safe haven to al-Qaeda, the group responsible for the attacks, so removing the Taliban and targeting al-Qaeda became the initial and defining military effort of the War on Terror. This action illustrates how 9/11 directly spurred a new era in U.S. foreign policy—emphasizing counterterrorism, international coalition work, and enhanced security measures at home.

The other wars listed happened in different eras and contexts, not as direct post-9/11 responses, which is why they don’t fit the question as well.