US Invasion of AfghanistanBy: Jackson Wright

Factors Leading Up to the Invasion

O During the Clinton Administration the US lowered financial support for Afghanistan and favored PakistanO Afghan people created a dislike for Americans

(helped start anti-American terrorist organizations)

O October 15, 1999- US officially titled the Taliban and al-Qaeda as terrorist organizationsO United Nations Security Counsel initiates

resolution 1267 putting sanctions on the two terrorist organizations (Bruno)

Factors Leading Up to Invasion(cont.)

O September 9, 2001- al-Qaeda assassinates Ahmad Shah Massoud (anti- Taliban leader in Afghanistan)

O September 11, 2001- al-Qaeda attacks the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on US soil

O September18, 2001- President Bush signs a joint resolution act enabling the use of force against those responsible for 9/11 (Bruno)

9/11O September 11, 2001-19 al-Qaeda

terrorists hijacked 4 airliners in pursuit of destroying several US facilitiesO 2 planes hit the World Trade Center, 1 hit

the Pentagon, and the last plane was brought down in Pennsylvania by brave passengers

O Over 3,000 lives were killed including over 400 policeman and fire fighters

O 9/11 attack was the biggest factor to US invasion of Afghanistan (Bruno)

The WarO October 7, 2001- US and Great Britain

begin to bomb Taliban forces in Afghanistan(main goal was control, command, and communication of Taliban)

O Fall of Kabul and other large Afghan cities foreshadows end of Taliban rule. In response, Taliban used counter offensive

O December 9, 2001- end of Taliban rule in Afghanistan (Bruno)

The War (cont.)O May 1, 2003- Secretary of Defense

Rumsfeld declares an end to major combat in Afghanistan

O July 2006- Taliban and al-Qaeda forces begin to come back into Afghanistan and wage war again mostly through suicide bombings and guerilla tactics (Bruno)

Obama killed OsamaO The leader of al-Qaeda, Osama bin

Laden was killed May 1, 2011 in his home in PakistanO Many politicians called for end of

Afghanistan warO Many people believe this is the

turning point to the end of the wars in the middle east (Bergmann)

Impact of InvasionO Over $500 billion dollars spent by US

governmentO March 2002- the Security Council

established the United Nations Assistance Mission for Afghanistan to manage all of the UN’s relief, recovery, humanitarian, and reconstruction of Afghanistan

O UN has created an election operation in Afghanistan to register voters and organize elections (Harvey)

Impact of Invasion (cont.)

O Thousands of innocent Afghan and Pakistani civilians killedO US and NATO forces killed ¼ of all

civilians (Taliban killed ¾) (Harvey)

War TodayO War today in Afghanistan is mostly fought

with guerilla tactics, improvised explosive devises(IED), and suicide bombings

O The Afghan security forces have now picked up most of the fighting. However, they are still assisted by NATO forces in the field("UN Involvement in Afghanistan”).

O Afghan forces outnumber Taliban forces 12:1(“International, Afghan Forces Outnumber Taliban 12-1" )

War Today (cont.)O Support of war has decreased due to

the US and UN bombings of innocent civiliansO Some NATO allies have already pulled

outO Many people suggest the invasion

campaign is not producing the democracy, prosperity, and security that was promised ("UN Involvement in Afghanistan”)

Current Conditions with Afghanistan Government

O Since the fall of Taliban rule in Afghanistan in 2001, the US and Afghan governments have worked hard together against terrorist organizations and have worked to ensure that Afghanistan is no longer “a safe haven for terrorists”(“Joint Declarations of the United States-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership”)

O The Joint Declarations of the United States-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership is to ensure Afghanistan’s long term democracy, economy, and security ("Joint Declaration of the United States-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership”)

Current Conditions with Afghanistan Government (cont.)

O Us plans to help Afghanistan with O Reconstruction and investmentsO Create a trade center between Asia and AfricaO Organize, train, and equip Afghan security

forcesO Encourage US businesses to create sectors in

AfghanistanO Share IntelligenceO Create a lasting future in Democracy ("Joint

Declaration of the United States-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership”)

Afghani LifeO Many new facilities and parks are

being built in the countryO Many people must live with

amputated limbs and cannot receive the best medical treatment

O Democratic government continues to develop and grow throughout country (Harvey)

Afghan Life (cont.)O Opium is main agricultural crop of

Afghanistan(used in heroin)O Education standards are improving

to assist the 70% of people who are illiterate

O Many countries are trying to invest in Afghanistan’s high amount of lithium found in most batteries (Bergmann)

Future US involvementO Barack Obama plans to pull out

most American forces by 2014O Post 2014 the US will continue to

give training and equipment to Afghan security forces. US will also continue to give financial support (Bergmann)

Works CitedO Bergmann, Christina. "The US and the

Future of Afghanistan." Deutsche Welle. Deutsche Welle, 01 Nov. 2012. Web. 24 Feb. 2013.

O Bruno, Greg. "US War in Afghanistan." Council on Foreign Relations. Council on Foreign Nations, 2012. Web. 23 Feb. 2013.

O Harvey, Katherine. "Afghanistan, The United States, and the Legacy of Afghanistan’s Civil War." Stanford �� University. Stanford University, 05 June 2003. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.

Work Cited (cont.)O "International, Afghan Forces Outnumber

Taliban 12-1." Fox News. FOX News Network, 27 Oct. 2009. Web. 03 Mar. 2013.

O "Joint Declaration of the United States-Afghanistan Strategic Partnership." Afghanistan Online. N.p., 23 May 2005. Web. 25 Feb. 2013.

O "UN Involvement in Afghanistan." Global Policy Forum. Global Policy, 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2013.