# When does terrorism become an act of war, instead of a crime?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-terrorism-become-an-act-of-war-instead-of-a-crime/754389>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [May 9, 2016, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-terrorism-become-an-act-of-war-instead-of-a-crime/754389 "2016-05-09T13:29:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\
**Post date:** [May 17, 2016, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-does-terrorism-become-an-act-of-war-instead-of-a-crime/754389/41 "2016-05-17T03:55:54Z")

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> [@boffking](#):
>
> I was debating with my friends last night if the 9/11 **should have been treated as a crime instead of an act of war.**

What exactly does this entail or mean? Should the U.S. not have gone after the Taliban in Afghanistan? Sure, maybe al-Qaeda terrorists and bin Laden could have been tried in U.S. court, but how do you catch them?

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