Opposition To The Afghanistan War: Gauging Public Sentiment

The War in Afghanistan was the longest war in the history of the United States, lasting from 2001 to 2021. It was a response to the September 11 attacks, which were plotted by al-Qaeda, a terrorist group that had found sanctuary in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime. The war was initially popular among Americans, with a November 2001 poll finding that 71% of Americans supported sending large numbers of troops into Afghanistan. However, over time, public opinion shifted, and by August 2021, 62% of Americans believed that the war in Afghanistan was not worth fighting.

The war resulted in devastating consequences for Afghans, with the conflict destroying the economy, public health, security, and infrastructure. The war-induced breakdown of these sectors left 92% of the population facing food insecurity, and 3 million children at risk of acute malnutrition. Furthermore, the war inflicted invisible wounds, with two-thirds of Afghans suffering from mental health problems in 2009. The human cost of the war was immense, with an estimated 243,000 people killed in the Afghanistan/Pakistan war zone since 2001, including over 70,000 civilians.

The United States' military rules of engagement for airstrikes in Afghanistan, relaxed in 2017, resulted in a dramatic increase in civilian casualties. The CIA also armed and funded Afghan militia groups, which were implicated in grave human rights abuses and the killing of civilians. The war exacerbated the effects of poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, lack of access to healthcare, and environmental degradation on Afghans' health.

The war in Afghanistan was not without opposition, with many people around the world protesting against the invasion and subsequent occupation. The war also sparked debates about the wisdom of the conflict, particularly following the withdrawal of U.S. troops in August 2021.

The war in Afghanistan was triggered by the September 11 attacks, which were planned by al-Qaeda from within the country

The War in Afghanistan was the direct response to the September 11 attacks, which were planned by al-Qaeda. The attacks on September 11, 2001, brought international attention to Afghanistan, as the plot had been hatched by al-Qaeda, and some of the 19 hijackers had trained in Afghanistan.

Al-Qaeda, led by Osama bin Laden, was an Islamist extremist group that had been based in Afghanistan since the late 1980s. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush focused on ousting the Taliban from Afghanistan and dismantling al-Qaeda.

The Taliban was an ultraconservative political and religious faction that ruled Afghanistan and provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda. In the weeks following the attacks, Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda leaders, and when the Taliban refused, U.S. officials began implementing a plan for war.

The campaign in Afghanistan started covertly on September 26, with a Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) team known as Jawbreaker arriving in the country and, working with anti-Taliban allies, initiating a strategy for overthrowing the regime. The public start of Operation Enduring Freedom began on October 7, 2001, with U.S. and British war planes pounding Taliban targets. In late October, Northern Alliance forces, with U.S. assistance, began to overtake a series of towns formerly held by the Taliban.

The Taliban leadership retreated into Afghanistan's rural areas and across the border to Pakistan, and anti-Taliban figures convened at a United Nations (UN)-sponsored conference in Bonn, Germany, where Hamid Karzai was selected to lead the country on an interim basis. An intensive manhunt for bin Laden, al-Qaeda deputy chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, and other al-Qaeda leaders was undertaken.

The first phase of the War in Afghanistan was brief, lasting just two months. However, the war would become the longest war in U.S. history, lasting 20 years.

The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 quickly toppled the Taliban regime, but they regrouped and waged an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government and international coalition troops

The U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was a direct response to the September 11 attacks, which were coordinated by al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden. The U.S. demanded that the Taliban regime, which had provided sanctuary for al-Qaeda, extradite bin Laden and expel al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan. When the Taliban refused, the U.S. launched Operation Enduring Freedom, an international military coalition, to topple the Taliban regime.

The invasion of Afghanistan was swift and successful, with the Taliban regime quickly ousted from power. However, the Taliban leadership relocated to southern Afghanistan and across the border to Pakistan, from where they regrouped and waged an insurgency against the U.S.-backed government and international coalition troops. The Taliban received support from Pakistan, which provided funding, safe havens, and military assistance.

The U.S.-led coalition established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to oversee military operations and support the new Afghan government. The coalition also began reconstruction efforts to rebuild core institutions in the country. However, the Taliban soon launched a widespread insurgency, utilizing guerrilla warfare, suicide attacks, and reprisals against perceived Afghan collaborators. By 2007, the Taliban had retaken large parts of Afghanistan, and the coalition responded by sending additional troops for counter-insurgency operations.

Despite the initial success of the invasion, the war in Afghanistan became a protracted conflict, with the Taliban insurgency remaining a significant challenge for the U.S. and its allies. The Taliban continued to attack rural districts, carry out suicide bombings in major cities, and inflict heavy casualties on Afghan security forces. The war resulted in significant civilian casualties and contributed to the deterioration of Afghanistan's economy, public health, security, and infrastructure.

The war resulted in significant civilian casualties and a reversal of rights and freedoms for Afghans, especially women and girls

The war in Afghanistan has resulted in significant civilian casualties and a reversal of rights and freedoms for Afghans, especially women and girls.

Civilian Casualties

The war in Afghanistan has resulted in a high number of civilian casualties. About 243,000 people have been killed in the Afghanistan/Pakistan warzone since 2001. More than 70,000 of those killed have been civilians. As of March 2023, more than 70,000 Afghan and Pakistani civilians are estimated to have died as a direct result of the war.

The United States military relaxed its rules of engagement for airstrikes in Afghanistan in 2017, which resulted in a dramatic increase in civilian casualties. From the last year of the Obama administration to the last full year of recorded data during the Trump administration, the number of civilians killed by U.S.-led airstrikes in Afghanistan increased by 330%.

Even in the absence of fighting, unexploded ordnance from this war and landmines from previous wars continue to kill, injure, and maim civilians. Fields, roads, and school buildings are contaminated by ordnance, which often harms children as they go about chores like gathering wood.

Reversal of Rights and Freedoms for Afghans, Especially Women and Girls

The war in Afghanistan has also resulted in a reversal of rights and freedoms for Afghans, especially women and girls.

The Taliban imposed new restrictions on women's dress and conduct, which affect every aspect of their lives, including their career options. For example, women can only become teachers or nurses, nothing else. The Taliban dictate what women must wear, how they should travel, workplace segregation by sex, and even what kind of cell phones women should have. They enforce these rules through intimidation and inspections.

The Taliban have banned women and girls from secondary and higher education, and altered curricula to focus more on religious studies. They have also banned women and girls from entering amusement parks, public baths, gyms, and sports clubs for four months. Women have been banned from working in NGO offices. Since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, women have been wholly excluded from public office and the judiciary. Today, Afghanistan’s women and girls are required to adhere to a strict dress code and are not permitted to travel more than 75 km without a mahram (male relative chaperone). They are compelled to stay at home.

The Taliban's policies have had a devastating impact on Afghan women and girls, with the situation of women's rights reverting to that of the pre-2002 era when the Taliban last controlled the country. Women are denied their fundamental rights and freedoms, including the rights to education, to work, to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, freedom of movement, and freedom from fear, want, and discrimination.

The Taliban's crackdown on women's rights has been described as "gender apartheid", with manifestations of systemic gender-based discrimination. Women and girls' lives in Afghanistan are being devastated by the crackdown on their human rights, with one woman stating, "We are alive, but not living".

Impact on Mental Health

The war has also inflicted invisible wounds. In 2009, the Afghan Ministry of Public Health reported that fully two-thirds of Afghans suffer from mental health problems.

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 left a security vacuum, with the Taliban retaking control and imposing restrictive laws

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 did indeed leave a security vacuum, with the Taliban retaking control and imposing restrictive laws. Here is a more detailed analysis of the situation:

The U.S. Withdrawal

The U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 marked the end of America's longest war, spanning two decades. The decision to withdraw was made by President Joe Biden, who, like his predecessor Donald Trump, was eager to bring U.S. troops home and end the war. The withdrawal was completed on August 30, 2021, with the last U.S. military planes departing from Kabul.

Taliban Retake Control

The withdrawal of U.S. and NATO forces left a security vacuum in Afghanistan, which the Taliban quickly filled. Within weeks of the U.S. announcement of their withdrawal, the Taliban launched a major offensive, making rapid gains across the country. By mid-August, they had captured most of Afghanistan's provincial capitals and entered the capital, Kabul, on August 15. The Afghan government collapsed, and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

Restrictive Laws

With the Taliban back in control, restrictive laws and policies were imposed, particularly impacting women and girls. Here are some examples:

• Women were required to have a male relative accompany them when traveling significant distances.
• Women were barred from secondary education and universities, with girls also being banned from schools.
• Women were required to cover their faces in public.
• Music was banned.
• Flogging, amputations, and public executions were reintroduced as punishments.

Humanitarian Crisis

The Taliban's return to power has also exacerbated a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The country is facing food shortages, with millions at risk of famine. This has been worsened by the economic collapse, with international aid cut off and the banking system in disarray. The situation has been further compounded by climate change, with droughts and flash floods destroying crops.

Terrorist Threat

There are also concerns about Afghanistan once again becoming a haven for terrorist groups. The Taliban has pledged to prevent this, but there are doubts about their ability or willingness to do so. The Islamic State in Khorasan (ISIS-K), a rival of the Taliban, has already carried out attacks in the country, including the deadly bombing at Kabul airport during the evacuation efforts.

The war caused a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, with food shortages, soaring prices, and a lack of access to basic services

The war in Afghanistan has had a devastating impact on the country, causing a severe humanitarian crisis. The conflict has led to widespread food shortages, soaring prices, and limited access to basic services, exacerbating the suffering of the Afghan people.

One of the most pressing issues is food insecurity, with millions of Afghans facing hunger and malnutrition. According to the World Food Programme, 15.8 million Afghans are not consuming enough food, and acute malnutrition is above emergency thresholds in 25 out of 34 provinces. The situation is particularly dire for children and pregnant and breastfeeding women, who are in urgent need of nutrition support. The economic collapse, drought, and disruption to farming have severely impacted food availability and affordability.

The war has also resulted in a breakdown of essential services such as healthcare. The suspension of most non-humanitarian funding and the freezing of assets following the Taliban's takeover have led to the closure of health clinics and a shortage of medical supplies and staff. This has had devastating consequences for the Afghan people, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing drought.

Additionally, the war has caused widespread displacement, with 2.6 million Afghans displaced across borders and millions more internally displaced. The loss of livelihoods and destruction of infrastructure have forced many Afghans to leave their homes in search of safety and basic necessities.

The impact of the war has been further compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, drought, and natural disasters such as earthquakes. These factors have exacerbated the humanitarian crisis, placing an even greater strain on the limited resources and infrastructure in the country.

The international community has recognized the urgency of the situation and has provided some humanitarian aid. However, there is a growing consensus that more needs to be done to avert a full-scale catastrophe. The United Nations and other humanitarian organizations have appealed for additional funding and support to address the escalating crisis.

The war in Afghanistan has not only caused widespread destruction and displacement but has also severely impacted the country's ability to provide basic services to its citizens. The ongoing conflict and instability have disrupted agricultural production, supply chains, and access to markets, leading to food shortages and soaring prices. The healthcare system is on the brink of collapse, and essential services such as education and access to clean water and sanitation have been severely impacted.

The war's impact on women and girls is especially concerning, with restricted access to education, increased gender-based violence, and limited access to healthcare and other basic services. The regression of rights and freedoms for women and girls under the Taliban rule has further exacerbated their vulnerability and limited their access to essential services.

The humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan is a complex and ongoing issue that requires sustained international attention and support to address the immediate needs of the population and build long-term resilience.

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