User blog comment:Magic26/september eleventh/@comment-1871576-20110911190817/@comment-1874924-20110911202910

My understanding is that the WTC was targeted mainly because of its symbolic value. Yes, it was a focal point of international commerce, but it was only one of many. It was, however, perhaps the most visible of those many, and that was what made it a good target in the eyes of the terrorists. Yes, the WTC's destruction was a signficant blow to our economy, perhaps hastening a recession that was already on the way, but anyone who thinks it came anywhere close to crippling our economy doesn't understand just how big our economy is. The emotional impact, which was what the terrorists were after, far outweighed the economic impact.

As for the government targets--the Pentagon and (it is believed) the White House--the hijackers would also have targeted Congress if they were serious about trying to actually take down our government. For all the damage those planes did or could have done, in the final analysis the While House and the Pentagon were also targeted more because of what they symbolize than for the actual work that is conducted there.

Long story short, the purpose of the 9/11 attack wasn't to destroy the American government or the American economy, although al-Quaida would have happily accepted that bonus. No, the purpose of the attack was to make the American people feel weak and vulnerable. As we now know, that didn't turn out so well for al-Quaida. To quote Adm. Yamamoto after the Pearl Harbor attack that he masterminded, "I fear that we have awakened a sleeping giant and filled him with a terrible resolve."