The Spark That Ignited: The Catalyst For The War On Terrorism In Afghanistan

The War in Afghanistan was triggered by the September 11 attacks and was the direct response to the event. The conflict lasted two decades and spanned four U.S. presidencies, becoming the longest war in American history.

The September 11 attacks, also known as 9/11, were a series of terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. The attacks were carried out by 19 terrorists from the Islamic militant group, Al-Qaeda. The terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes, crashing two into the World Trade Center towers in New York City, one at the Pentagon near Washington, D.C., and one in a field in Pennsylvania. The attacks resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.

In the aftermath of the attacks, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush declared a 'War on Terror' and demanded that the Taliban, an extremist Islamic movement and the ruling power in Afghanistan, hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, and other Al-Qaeda leaders. When the Taliban refused, the U.S. and its allies invaded Afghanistan, marking the start of the War in Afghanistan.

The Taliban's refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden

Osama bin Laden was the leader of al-Qaeda, a terrorist organization responsible for the 9/11 attacks, which killed over 2,700 people. Bin Laden was a Saudi who had previously fought in Afghanistan as a mujahideen against the Soviet Union. He had founded al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and was protected by the Taliban, who had seized power in the country in 1996. Bin Laden was able to escape capture and fled across the border to Pakistan.

The US had issued an ultimatum to the Taliban to hand over bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders, but the Taliban refused, stating that bin Laden was protected by the traditional Pashtun laws of hospitality. This refusal led to the US-led invasion of Afghanistan and the start of the war on terrorism. The Taliban regime was removed from power, and a new government was formed. However, bin Laden remained at large and was not captured until May 2011, when he was killed by US forces in Pakistan.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan

On September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden and other Al-Qaeda leaders to the United States. When the Taliban refused, the US, alongside British forces, launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001. This marked the public start of the war in Afghanistan.

The invasion was swift and successful. The US and its allies drove the Taliban from power and established a security mission (ISAF), sanctioned by the United Nations, to create a new democratic authority in the country. A new Afghan Interim Administration was established, and international rebuilding efforts were launched.

However, the US-led coalition soon turned its attention to Iraq, and by 2003, the Taliban had reorganised and began a widespread insurgency against the new Afghan government and coalition forces. The Taliban waged guerrilla warfare in the countryside, suicide attacks against urban targets, and reprisals against perceived Afghan collaborators.

In response, the coalition sent a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations, with a "clear and hold" strategy for villages and towns. This influx peaked in 2011, with roughly 140,000 foreign troops operating under ISAF command across Afghanistan.

In May 2011, a US covert operation in neighbouring Pakistan led to the killing of Osama bin Laden. This, alongside the Taliban's growing insurgency, prompted NATO leaders to begin planning an exit strategy from Afghanistan. On December 28, 2014, NATO formally ended ISAF combat operations in Afghanistan and officially transferred security responsibility to the Afghan government.

The Taliban's resurgence

The Taliban regrouped in western Pakistan and began an insurgent-style offensive against Coalition forces in late 2002. Throughout southern and eastern Afghanistan, firefights broke out between the surging Taliban and Coalition forces. By 2007, large parts of Afghanistan had been retaken by the Taliban. In response, the Coalition sent a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations, with a "clear and hold" strategy for villages and towns. This influx peaked in 2011, when roughly 140,000 foreign troops were operating under ISAF command across Afghanistan.

The US withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan was a significant factor in the Taliban's resurgence. In 2014, the US and Afghanistan signed a security agreement that allowed US and NATO forces to remain in Afghanistan until at least 2024. However, in February 2020, the US and the Taliban signed a conditional peace deal that required the US to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan within 14 months. In April 2021, President Biden announced that the remaining 2,500 US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by 11 September 2021. By mid-summer, almost all international forces had been withdrawn.

The Taliban's ability to regroup in Pakistan was another factor in their resurgence. After the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001, many members of the Taliban resistance fled to the northern border region of Afghanistan and Pakistan. With the logistics and air support of the US, the Pakistani Army captured or killed numerous al-Qaeda operatives. However, the Pakistani government was also providing significant funding, access to safe houses, and political support to the Taliban. Public opinion in Pakistan heavily favoured the Taliban, and the US invasion was viewed very negatively.

The killing of Osama bin Laden

The operation was executed by approximately two dozen Navy SEALs in two Black Hawk helicopters, launched from Afghanistan, where U.S. forces were stationed. The raid took 40 minutes, and bin Laden was killed shortly before 1:00 a.m. local time. Bin Laden was shot in the head and chest and died almost instantly. Three other men and a woman were also killed in the raid.

The operation was supported by over 90 percent of the American public and welcomed by the United Nations, NATO, the European Union, and a large number of governments. However, it was condemned by two-thirds of the Pakistani public and other critics, who questioned the legality and ethics of the killing, particularly the failure to capture bin Laden alive.

The US-Taliban deal

The deal was not a final peace deal and was filled with ambiguity. It was only the first step to ending the eighteen-year war that had killed more than 157,000 people and was estimated to have cost the US $2 trillion. The deal was aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan and included four issues: reducing violence, withdrawing foreign troops, starting intra-Afghan negotiations, and guaranteeing Afghanistan won't become a refuge for terrorists.

The agreement was signed between the US and the Taliban, and the Afghan government was not a party to the deal. The bigger challenge was achieving a peace agreement between the Taliban and the Afghan government. Continued Taliban violence, a weak Afghan government, and objections by outside countries could spoil negotiations. The deal was seen as a stepping stone to a comprehensive settlement of the conflict and not a replacement for an Afghan agreement.

The deal included a timeline for the final withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. The US agreed to reduce its number of troops in the country from 12,000 to 8,600 within 135 days. If the Taliban followed through on its commitments, all US and other foreign troops would leave Afghanistan within fourteen months. The Taliban also agreed to start talks with the Afghan government and guaranteed that Afghanistan won't be used by any of its members or other individuals or terrorist groups to threaten the security of the US and its allies.

Frequently asked questions