The Long Road To Peace: Reflecting On The End Of The Vietnam And Afghanistan Wars

The Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan were two of the longest wars in American history. The Iraq War began in 2003 and ended in 2011, while the War in Afghanistan lasted from 2001 to 2021.

The Iraq War was launched by the United States, with British support, to destroy Saddam Hussein's regime and eliminate weapons of mass destruction. The war resulted in the deaths of over 4,000 U.S. servicemen and women and hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. Public support for the war declined over time, especially as the initial rationale for the war was questioned.

The War in Afghanistan was triggered by the September 11 attacks and was fought by an international coalition led by the United States, with British forces playing a significant role. The initial goal was to destroy Al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime from power. Over time, the focus shifted to counterinsurgency and rebuilding Afghanistan. Despite efforts to train Afghan security forces and support the country's reconstruction, the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in 2021. The war resulted in the deaths of about 2,400 U.S. service members and wounded more than 20,000 others.

The Iraq War began in March 2003, with the US achieving its primary objective of ousting Saddam Hussein within weeks

The Iraq War began on March 19, 2003, when the United States, along with coalition forces primarily from the United Kingdom, initiated military operations against Iraq. The primary objective of the US was to oust Saddam Hussein, who had gone into hiding soon after the invasion. Within weeks, the US achieved this objective, as Hussein's regime fell on April 9, 2003, and he was subsequently captured and executed in 2006.

On March 19, 2003, President George W. Bush announced in a televised address that "American and coalition forces are in the early stages of military operations to disarm Iraq, to free its people, and to defend the world from grave danger." The US invasion of Iraq was an extension of the First Gulf War, with the ultimate goals of destroying the Iraqi army, crippling their ability to fight, and dismantling the Iraqi government.

The speed with which the US and its allies toppled Hussein's regime was remarkable, and it only took them three weeks to capture Iraq's major cities. However, despite this initial success, the Iraq War would drag on for years, with an insurgency employing guerrilla tactics that resulted in thousands of coalition, military, insurgent, and civilian deaths.

On May 1, 2003, US Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld announced an end to "major combat operations" in Iraq. President Bush echoed this statement on the same day, declaring that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended." However, this did not signal the end of the war, as the insurgency continued to wage a fierce guerrilla campaign.

The Iraq War ultimately divided Americans and alienated key US allies. In retrospect, many Americans viewed the war negatively, with 62% saying it was not worth fighting. The war also had a significant human toll, with thousands of military and civilian deaths on both sides.

The Afghanistan War was triggered by the September 11 attacks, with the US-led invasion of Afghanistan commencing a month later in October 2001

The September 11 attacks on the United States in 2001, planned by al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, killed nearly 3,000 people. 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 regime in Afghanistan had provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda. Within 10 days of the attacks, Bush declared a 'War on Terror' and stated that defeating terrorism was now the world's fight.

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan began a month later, on October 7, 2001, with air strikes against Afghanistan. The US-led coalition worked with anti-Taliban groups, including the Northern Alliance, to force the Taliban from their strongholds.

The Taliban regime fell in November 2001. A new transitional government was formed, and a UN-mandated multinational force, the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), was established to help secure Kabul and assist the new administration.

The ISAF was initially tasked with providing security in Kabul, but after NATO took command in 2003, ISAF deployed more widely across Afghanistan. Troops became increasingly involved in intense combat operations against a Taliban insurgency until 2014.

The war in Afghanistan was the longest war in US military history, ending in August 2021.

The US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan to destroy Al-Qaeda and overthrow the Taliban regime, which refused to hand over Osama bin Laden

The US-led coalition invaded Afghanistan in October 2001, with the stated goal of dismantling Al-Qaeda and overthrowing the Taliban regime, which had refused to hand over Osama bin Laden. The Taliban had provided sanctuary for Al-Qaeda, the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks.

The invasion, known as Operation Enduring Freedom, was led by the US and the UK, with support from other nations. The coalition's invasion marked the first phase of the 20-year-long War in Afghanistan.

The Taliban regime was quickly removed from power, and a new government was formed. However, the US-led coalition remained in Afghanistan, forming a security mission to prevent the Taliban from returning to power. Despite the initial success of the invasion, Al-Qaeda leaders, including Osama bin Laden, managed to escape to neighbouring Pakistan.

The US-led coalition's efforts to rebuild Afghanistan and support the new government were hampered by several factors, including the diversion of resources to the war in Iraq, the resurgence of the Taliban, and the lack of a clear, unified strategy. The Taliban regrouped and launched an insurgency, and by 2007, large parts of Afghanistan had been retaken by the group.

The US and its allies responded by sending more troops and resources to Afghanistan, but the security situation continued to deteriorate. The war resulted in heavy casualties, with tens of thousands of civilian deaths and injuries, and thousands of military personnel killed and wounded.

In 2020, the US and the Taliban signed a peace agreement, and the US began withdrawing its troops. However, the Taliban soon launched a broad offensive and retook control of Afghanistan, marking the end of America's longest war.

The US-led coalition's initial goal in Afghanistan was achieved by the end of 2001, with a new transitional government formed and Osama bin Laden in Pakistan

The US-led coalition's initial goal in Afghanistan was to dismantle al-Qaeda and deny Islamist militants a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by toppling the Taliban government. The coalition's invasion of Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, and by December 2001, the Taliban government had been toppled, and a new transitional government formed under Hamid Karzai.

Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda, had been active in Afghanistan since the Soviet-Afghan War and was wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in the 1998 United States embassy bombings. After the September 11 attacks, American president George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban government extradite Osama bin Laden to the United States and also expel al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan. The Taliban declined to extradite bin Laden and ignored demands to shut down terrorist bases or extradite other suspected terrorists.

In December 2001, the United Nations Security Council established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to oversee military operations in Afghanistan and also train the new Afghan National Security Forces. At the Bonn Conference that same month, Hamid Karzai was selected to lead the Afghan Interim Administration.

By the end of 2001, the Taliban had been toppled, and Osama bin Laden had escaped to Pakistan.

Despite this, US troops remained in Afghanistan, with the focus shifting to Iraq in 2002 and major combat in Afghanistan declared over in 2003

Despite the US declaring an end to "major combat" in Afghanistan in 2003, US troops remained in the country. In 2002, the US shifted its focus to Iraq, and in 2003, President Bush declared an end to "major combat operations" in Afghanistan.

In 2002, the US began to shift its focus to Iraq. The US-led coalition had removed the Taliban regime from power and formed a new government in Afghanistan. The US military focus turned to Iraq, and the country's reconstruction. The US-led coalition forces remained in Afghanistan, forming a security mission (ISAF) to create a new democratic authority in the country.

The US-led coalition forces remained in Afghanistan, forming a security mission (ISAF) to create a new democratic authority in the country. The ISAF was sanctioned by the United Nations and led by the US. The ISAF's goal was to prevent the Taliban from returning to power. A new Afghan Interim Administration was established, and international rebuilding efforts were launched.

In 2003, President Bush declared an end to "major combat operations" in Afghanistan. He stated that the US had moved from "major combat activity to a period of stability and stabilization and reconstruction activities". There were only 8,000 US soldiers stationed in Afghanistan at this time. It was predicted that the transition from combat to reconstruction would open the door for many aid organizations, particularly European groups, that had previously balked at sending troops, supplies, or other assistance.

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