Point of Divergence
The POD begins in 1996, when a Osama Bin Laden is found dead, the cause of death determined to be an unknown virus, but seems similar to another virus already known. As such, the 9/11 attacks never even appeared in the realm of thought, and thousands still live in this timeline. Obviously, the article explores what the author(who is forever to be unknown to you) thinks what would happen if this disaster never occured.
September 11, 2001
In New York City, people rush to work, schoolchildren to schools, the greatest concern of the former being the coffee stain on his/her suit, that of the latter being the band auditions today. At the end of the day, these same people return to their homes, to live out the rest of the day, tomorrow and perhaps the days, months and years to come.
As a result of the lack of a 9/11, the US never ousts the Taliban from Afghanistan, and there isn't as much development into counter-insurgency tactics and weapons. NATO expands in Europe, adding the Eastern European nations. Russia does not take kindly to this expansion, like it did in OTL.
The US does not invade Iraq due to the UN inspection not turning up any evidence pointing to WMD development or possesion, but after Iraqi troops murder thousands of Kurdish people, the Kurdish militia (Peshmerga) secretly steps up recruitment, and the CIA supplies them with weapons and equipment.
THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS
REMEMBER: ALWAYS WEAR A NECKSTRAP WHILE PLAYING A SAXOPHONE.
HA HA HA SARAH.