9/11 and the War on Terror
9/11 still happened but superheroes were able to save the WTC from destruction by diverting the planes. Those planes were forced down and all onboard died. The plane that aimed for the Pentagon was vaporized by a US super soldier. The plane that aimed for the White House was successfully boarded by the Ideal. All on board were saved. The attack had a similar effect on the American people, as their confidence in the government was shaken to its core. If normal human terrorists could get so close, then what could enhanced terrorists do? The DHS and TSA were both founded, as in real life. Gitmo exists as well with a special section to handle any enhanced terror suspects they encounter.
Fortunately, Al-Qaeda ideology rejected the use of superhuman enhancements, although some believe that was merely a justification for their failure to acquire sufficient superhuman tech. Afghanistan and Iraq were both invaded on similar time tables. Hussein had a small cadre of superhuman bodyguards but they were mostly killed by missile strikes. A few still live and have organized an effective terror network separate from Al-Qaeda. The Ideal did not participate in either war but the wars drove Omega into a paranoid fugue. Omega's action after Iraq became impossible to ignore. He openly defied UN sanctions, provided material aid to anti-US terrorists and detonated a nuclear bomb in his borders to wipe out a group of dissidents. In a rare multilateral action, the Ideal and UN invaded Omega's land in 2005 and overthrew him.
OGRE weapons
In order to make the most of super soldiers, engineers and designers developed lines of weapons that could only be used by those with superhuman powers. Guns so powerful that only an inhumanly strong warrior could handle their recoil. Armor heavy enough to stop anti tank weapons. Harness mounted mini guns that generate enough heat to kill normal humans. This category of weapons are called OGRE weapons and they are extremely illegal. After the collapse of the USSR, R&D on OGRE weapons slowed down to a trickle although it has picked up in the last 10 years due to an increase in special forces being deployed in the War on Terror. Almost all super soldiers have special forces training.
In a disturbing trend, drug cartels and other criminal syndicates have begun deploying enforcers with OGRE weapons. They have poor training, badly designed super soldier drugs and itchy trigger fingers. They can inflict horrendous causalities without regard to collateral damage. It is only a matter of time before a drug cartel takes over a failed nation state with these weapons.
