9/11 Anniversary Debate: Did Attacks Mark Start of US Relative Decline?

An opinion piece in La Nación argues that the 9/11 attacks, occurring at the peak of US relative power, initiated a period of decline marked by costly wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, China's rise, and alliance erosion. The claim is interpretive and contested, as the US remains the world's leading power. This matters for framing long-term geopolitical narratives but is not a discrete event.