The Human Cost Of War: Comparing Casualties In Afghanistan During The Bush And Obama Presidencies

The war in Afghanistan has spanned four US presidencies and resulted in tens of thousands of casualties. The conflict began in 2001, after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban deliver Osama bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders to the United States. When the Taliban refused, Bush adopted a war footing, and on October 7, 2001, the US military officially launched Operation Enduring Freedom.

During Bush's presidency, 575 US troops died in Afghanistan. In 2009, President Barack Obama inherited a war that had been going on for eight years. Obama ultimately deployed tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan, with the number of US forces in the country reaching 100,000 in 2010. By the end of his presidency, approximately 2,500 Americans had died in Afghanistan under Obama.

US troop deaths under Obama were twice that under Bush

The war in Afghanistan has been the longest war in US history, spanning over two decades and outlasting four presidencies. It began under President George W. Bush in 2001, following the 9/11 terror attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center in New York. Bush vowed to stamp out global terrorism and called on the Taliban to deliver al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, who were hiding in Afghanistan. When the Taliban refused, Bush adopted a war footing, and on October 7, 2001, the US military officially launched Operation Enduring Freedom with UK support.

During Bush's presidency, 575 US troops died in Afghanistan. However, under Obama, this number more than doubled, with 1,153 US troop deaths recorded in Afghanistan. This marked a significant increase and a grim milestone in the war. By the end of Obama's presidency in 2017, a total of 2,499 US soldiers had been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq combined, according to the independent Iraq Coalition Casualty Count.

Obama inherited the war in Afghanistan from Bush and faced a difficult decision. Top generals recommended a "surge" in troop levels to weaken the Taliban, and after much internal debate, Obama ultimately deployed tens of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan. He committed to a withdrawal timetable, aiming to start pulling troops out by 2011, but the situation on the ground proved challenging.

While Obama's strategy aimed to create conditions for the US to transfer responsibility to the Afghans, the Taliban continued to gain strength. In 2010, US forces in Afghanistan reached 100,000, and violence escalated following Obama's announcement of an additional 33,000 troops to battle al-Qaeda and the Taliban. 2010 marked the deadliest year in Afghanistan, with 499 US soldiers killed.

Despite Obama's efforts to wind down the war, the full withdrawal he hoped for proved unfeasible due to the fragile security situation. By the end of his presidency, Obama left approximately 10,000 troops in Afghanistan, passing the decision on further actions to his successor.

The war in Afghanistan spanned four US presidencies

The war in Afghanistan began in 2001, under the presidency of George W. Bush, and ended in 2021, under the presidency of Joe Biden. It was the longest war in American history, spanning four presidencies and nearly two decades.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, which were plotted by al Qaeda from bases in Afghanistan, Bush vowed to stamp out global terrorism. He called on the Taliban, which controlled most of Afghanistan and was harbouring Osama bin Laden, to deliver al Qaeda leaders hiding in the country. When the Taliban rejected that call, Bush adopted a war footing. Congress authorized US forces to go after those responsible for 9/11, and on October 7, 2001, the US military officially launched Operation Enduring Freedom, with support from the United Kingdom. The war’s early phase mostly involved airstrikes on al Qaeda and Taliban targets, but by November, 1,300 American troops were in the country.

Bush sent thousands more troops to Afghanistan to go after Taliban insurgents and, by May 2003, the Pentagon declared "major combat operations" over. The focus then shifted to reconstructing the country and installing a Western-style democratic political system. However, the Taliban began to regroup, and by the time Bush left office in 2009, there were more than 30,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan, facing a full-blown insurgency.

Barack Obama, who became president in 2009, initially surged troop numbers to around 100,000, but then began a drawdown in 2012. He ended the combat mission in Afghanistan in 2014, transitioning to a mission of training and assisting Afghan security forces. By the end of his presidency, Obama had reduced US troops in Afghanistan to just under 10,000.

Donald Trump, who succeeded Obama, vowed to bring American troops home but found it difficult to do so as the Taliban continued to surge. He outsourced troop level authority to the Pentagon and, in 2019, tasked Zalmay Khalilzad, a seasoned Afghan-American diplomat, with leading negotiations with the Taliban. A deal was struck in February 2020 for a full American withdrawal in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to reduce violence and cut ties to terror groups. However, the Taliban did not uphold their promises, and the May 2021 deadline for a complete withdrawal was pushed to September.

Joe Biden, who became president in 2021, was determined to end what he saw as a war without purpose. He announced that the remaining 2,500 US troops would leave Afghanistan by September 11, 2021, 20 years after the 9/11 terror attacks. The withdrawal was completed ahead of schedule, on August 30, 2021, but it was chaotic and humbling for the United States, with the Taliban retaking the country far more quickly than anticipated.

In total, the war in Afghanistan resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, including more than 2,400 American service members, and cost the United States around $2 trillion.

The war in Afghanistan lasted two decades

The War in Afghanistan, which lasted from 2001 to 2021, spanned four US presidencies and became the longest war in American history. It began in response to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which were plotted by al Qaeda from bases in Afghanistan, at the time under the control of the Taliban.

On October 7, 2001, US and British forces launched Operation Enduring Freedom, an airstrike campaign against al Qaeda and Taliban targets. Ground forces soon followed, and the United States quickly overtook Taliban strongholds, including the capital city of Kabul, by mid-November.

During his presidency, George W. Bush sent thousands of US troops to Afghanistan to go after Taliban insurgents. By May 2003, the Pentagon declared that major combat in Afghanistan was over, and the focus shifted to reconstructing the country and installing a Western-style democratic political system. However, the Taliban began to regain ground, and by the time Bush left office in 2009, there were more than 30,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan, facing a full-blown insurgency.

Barack Obama, who became president in 2009, initially deployed tens of thousands of additional troops to Afghanistan. However, he also committed to a withdrawal timetable, aiming to begin pulling troops out by 2011. By 2010, US forces in Afghanistan had reached 100,000. In 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan, and Obama announced plans to bring troops home, with a goal of handing off security responsibilities to the Afghans by 2014.

Under Obama, the number of US soldiers killed in Afghanistan was higher than during Bush's term. By 2014, Obama had ended major combat operations, and US efforts shifted to training and assisting Afghan security forces. However, Obama left office with just under 10,000 troops in the country, acknowledging that the fragile security situation prevented the full withdrawal he had hoped for.

Donald Trump, who became president in 2017, initially outsourced troop level authority to the Pentagon. Despite his campaign promise to bring American troops home, Trump admitted that conditions made a full withdrawal impossible. In 2020, the US and the Taliban signed a peace agreement, with the US pledging a total withdrawal in exchange for guarantees from the Taliban to reduce violence and cut ties to terrorist groups.

Joe Biden, who became the fourth president during the war in Afghanistan, set a deadline of September 11, 2021, for the full withdrawal of US troops, marking 20 years since the 9/11 attacks. The Taliban swiftly regained control of the country, and the US and its allies undertook a hurried mission to evacuate citizens and those who assisted during the war effort.

The War in Afghanistan resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and a price tag of around $2 trillion. More than 3,500 allied soldiers were killed, including 2,448 American service members, and over 20,000 Americans were injured. Additionally, approximately 69,000 Afghan security forces, 51,000 civilians, and 51,000 militants lost their lives. The war also caused the displacement of about 5 million Afghan civilians.

The war resulted in tens of thousands of deaths

The war in Afghanistan, which spanned four US presidencies, resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. The conflict lasted two decades and began shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, orchestrated by al Qaeda from Afghanistan.

On October 7, 2001, President George W. Bush announced the first strikes in Afghanistan, marking the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. The war resulted in a significant loss of life for both American soldiers and Afghan civilians.

During Bush's presidency, 575 US troops died in Afghanistan. The number of Afghan civilian deaths during this period is unclear, but it is estimated that tens of thousands of Afghans died since the US helped topple the Taliban in 2001.

Under President Barack Obama, the number of US troop deaths in Afghanistan doubled compared to the Bush administration. By 2011, 1,153 US troops had died in Afghanistan during Obama's presidency, with two-thirds of these deaths occurring in the last two years and eight months of his term.

The war in Afghanistan also took a heavy toll on Afghan civilians during Obama's presidency. In 2016, the United Nations reported that 3,498 Afghan civilians were killed, making it the deadliest year for civilian casualties since the UN began counting in 2009.

Overall, the two-decade-long conflict resulted in the deaths of more than 3,500 allied soldiers, including 2,448 American service members. Additionally, approximately 69,000 Afghan security forces, 51,000 civilians, and 51,000 militants lost their lives in the war. The war also caused the displacement of approximately 5 million Afghan civilians since 2012.

The US spent billions of dollars on the war in Afghanistan

The US government disbursed almost $73 billion in military aid to Afghanistan between 2001 and 2020, which was almost 20 times the amount of Afghanistan's own military expenditure. This aid included equipment, supplies, services, training, funding for salaries, and infrastructure.

The war in Afghanistan lasted for 20 years and, during that time, the US spent billions of dollars annually to strengthen the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF). In 2011 and 2013, US military aid to Afghanistan peaked at almost $9 billion per year. This increase in military assistance coincided with a renewed commitment by the US and its NATO allies to bolster the ANDSF.

Despite the massive investment, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in just over four months after the announcement in April 2021 that NATO's Resolute Support Mission would end. This rapid takeover raised questions about the effectiveness of US spending and the future of the Afghan military under a new Taliban government.

In addition to the direct costs of the war, the US also incurred significant expenses in veteran care and interest payments. The cost of caring for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan has already exceeded $350 billion, with experts projecting another trillion dollars in costs over the next 40 years. The interest on borrowed money for the war is also substantial, with the US expected to pay more than $600 billion through 2023.

Frequently asked questions