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Operation Enduring Freedom- The USA in Afghanistan
The United States was supported by Canada and the United Kingdom during their 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. Why did they enter and what was the outcome?
Public aims of the war in Afghanistan were to remove the Taliban from power and to fully dismantle Al-Qaeda. The United States was supported by a coalition of over 40 NATO allies, and is currently the second longest war in United States history. Following the infamous September 11th attacks, president George W. Bush demanded that Afghanistan hand over Osama Bin Laden who was thought to be living there.
On October 7th 2001, military strikes against Afghanistan were conducted in retaliation for the September 11th attacks. The initial invasion was followed by weeks of diplomatic efforts to have Osama Bin Laden handed over by the Taliban. President George W. Bush addressed the nation that day …
Good afternoon. On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime. . . .
Soon thereafter, the Taliban regime was toppled and a government headed by Hamiz Karazi was installed. In 2006, the Taliban reemerged and began using suicide bombing tactics, mimicking other jihadi groups in the region. NATO deployed a peacekeeping mission to Afghanistan in 2003, to no avail. Tensions remained taut and violent incidents escalates. 2008 was the deadliest year in the country since 2001.
Osama bin Laden was killed in a Navy SEAL mission in 2011. President Obama addressed the nation on May 1st, stating…
‘‘I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children.’’
One of the longest standing conflicts in American history, the presence of US soldiers in the region are still bolstering the legitimacy of the Afghan government and attempting to weaken the Taliban’s stronghold on the entire country.
