The Afghanistan War's Complex Origins: Unraveling The Spark That Ignited A Decades-Long Conflict

The Afghanistan War was sparked by the September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001. The attacks were coordinated by al-Qaeda, a terrorist group led by Osama bin Laden, who was based in Afghanistan.

In the aftermath of the attacks, the administration of US President George W. Bush focused on ousting the Taliban from Afghanistan and dismantling al-Qaeda. The Taliban, an extremist Islamic movement, had seized power in Afghanistan in 1996 and was harbouring bin Laden. Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders to the US, but the Taliban refused.

On October 7, 2001, US and British forces launched Operation Enduring Freedom, an airstrike campaign against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets. Ground forces followed, and with the help of Northern Alliance forces, the US quickly overtook Taliban strongholds, including the capital city of Kabul, by mid-November. On December 6, Kandahar fell, signalling the official end of Taliban rule in Afghanistan and causing al-Qaeda and bin Laden to flee.

The Taliban's refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden to the US

Following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, US President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Islamic militant group al-Qaeda, which was responsible for the attacks. Bush also demanded that the Taliban "close immediately every terrorist training camp, hand over every terrorist and their supporters, and give the United States full access to terrorist training camps for inspection."

The Taliban refused to hand over bin Laden without evidence of his involvement in the attacks. They also demanded that bin Laden be tried in a third country that would not come under pressure from the United States.

The US rejected these offers and, on October 7, 2001, US and British forces launched Operation Enduring Freedom, an airstrike campaign against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets. With the help of Northern Alliance forces, the US quickly overtook Taliban strongholds, including the capital city of Kabul, by mid-November. On December 6, Kandahar fell, signalling the official end of Taliban rule in Afghanistan and causing al-Qaeda and bin Laden to flee to Pakistan.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan

In an address on September 20, 2001, President George W. Bush demanded the Taliban deliver bin Laden and other al Qaeda leaders to the United States, or "share in their fate". The Taliban refused.

On October 7, 2001, U.S. and British forces launched Operation Enduring Freedom, an airstrike campaign against al Qaeda and Taliban targets. Ground forces followed, and with the help of Northern Alliance forces, the United States quickly overtook Taliban strongholds, including the capital city of Kabul, by mid-November. On December 6, Kandahar fell, signalling the official end of Taliban rule in Afghanistan and causing al Qaeda, and bin Laden, to flee.

The Taliban's removal from power

The Taliban, an Islamic fundamentalist group, was removed from power in Afghanistan in 2001 by a US-led international coalition. The Taliban had refused to hand over Osama bin Laden, the leader of al-Qaeda, who was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

The Taliban regime was replaced by a new government led by Hamid Karzai, and the US-led coalition remained in Afghanistan to support the new government and prevent the Taliban from returning to power. However, the Taliban regrouped and began a widespread insurgency against the new government and coalition forces. The Taliban had support from Pakistan, and by 2007, large parts of Afghanistan had been retaken by the Taliban.

The US and its allies responded by sending a major influx of troops for counter-insurgency operations. The conflict continued for two decades, with the Taliban claiming to be in control of Afghanistan again in 2021.

The formation of a new Afghan government

• December 2001: The Bonn Agreement is signed, establishing a six-month Afghan Interim Authority to be led by Hamid Karzai.
• June 2002: An Emergency Loya Jirga, or "Grand Council", is held to establish an Afghan Transitional Authority and elect Hamid Karzai as Interim President.
• January 2004: A new constitution is approved, establishing Afghanistan as an "Islamic Republic" with Islam as the official religion.
• October 2004: Hamid Karzai becomes the first President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in nationwide elections.
• September 2005: Legislative elections are held.
• 2006-2008: The US strategy shifts to defeating the Taliban militarily and rebuilding core institutions of the Afghan state.
• 2008-2014: The US and NATO adopt a classic counterinsurgency doctrine, implementing a "clear and hold" strategy for villages and towns.
• 2011: The US and NATO begin to withdraw their troops, with a complete withdrawal planned by 2014.
• 2014: Ashraf Ghani is elected President of Afghanistan.
• 2015: Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah, Ghani's main rival, agree to a power-sharing agreement, establishing Abdullah as Chief Executive.
• 2020: The US and the Taliban sign a peace deal, with the US pledging to withdraw all troops by 2021.
• August 2021: The Taliban regain control of Afghanistan, with Ghani fleeing the country and the Taliban declaring victory.
• September 2021: The US completes its withdrawal from Afghanistan.
• September 2021: The Taliban announce the formation of a new government, with Hibatullah Akhundzada as Supreme Leader and Mohammad Hassan Akhund as Prime Minister.

The US-led coalition's shift to reconstruction

The US military focus turned to Iraq in 2003, the same year US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declared "major combat" operations had come to an end in Afghanistan.

The coalition's shift to reconstruction was accompanied by a transition to a new Afghan government. In June 2002, Hamid Karzai, head of the Popalzai Durrani tribe, was chosen to lead the transitional government.

The coalition's reconstruction efforts were focused on improving education, healthcare, and community development.

The coalition also supported and funded the creation of an Afghan army in early 2002.

The coalition's reconstruction efforts were criticised for being inadequately funded, as attention had turned among US officials to the looming confrontation in Iraq.

The coalition's efforts were also criticised for being disorganised, with a lack of central controlling authority.

The Taliban resurgence

Despite the coalition's reconstruction efforts, the Taliban began to reassert its presence in 2005, with new tactics modelled on those being used by insurgents in Iraq. The Taliban's resurgence corresponded with a rise in anti-American and anti-Western sentiment among Afghans.

The Taliban's resurgence was also facilitated by the sluggish pace of reconstruction, allegations of prisoner abuse at US detention facilities, widespread corruption in the Afghan government, and civilian casualties caused by US and NATO bombings.

The US-led coalition's renewed focus on combat

In 2008, the US-led coalition renewed its focus on combat operations in Afghanistan. This shift was driven by the Taliban's resurgence and a rise in anti-American and anti-Western sentiment among Afghans.

The coalition's renewed focus on combat operations was also driven by the need to prevent the Taliban from retaking control of Afghanistan.

The coalition's combat operations in Afghanistan continued until 2014, when the US and NATO combat mission formally ended.

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