From the year 2000, desires for a new Pearl Harbor
Section V of Rebuilding America's Defenses, entitled "Creating Tomorrow's Dominant Force", includes the sentence: "Further, the process of transformation, even if it brings revolutionary change, is likely to be a long one, absent some catastrophic and catalyzing event––like a new Pearl Harbor".
It's argued that PNAC (Project for a New American Century) members used the events of 9/11 as the "Pearl Harbor" that they needed in order to enact long-desired plans. Vice President Dick Cheney has a member of the PNAC.
http://www.newamericancentury.org/ The full PDF report is available online.