The Invasion's Legacy: Unraveling America's Motives In Afghanistan

The US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 was a response to the September 11 attacks, which were coordinated by al-Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, from Afghanistan. Shortly after the attacks, US President George W. Bush declared a 'War on Terror' and demanded that the Taliban government in Afghanistan extradite Osama bin Laden to the US and expel al-Qaeda militants from the country. When the Taliban refused, the US and the UK launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001, alongside other countries, including Afghanistan's local Northern Alliance, to dismantle al-Qaeda and topple the Taliban government.

The US wanted to dismantle al-Qaeda and deny them a safe base of operations in Afghanistan

The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks, with the stated goal of dismantling al-Qaeda, which had executed the attacks under the leadership of Osama bin Laden. The invasion was also aimed at denying Islamist militants a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by toppling the Taliban government.

The Taliban had provided al-Qaeda with a safe base of operations in Afghanistan, where they had been running training camps since the 1990s. The Taliban had also refused to hand over Osama bin Laden to the US, despite demands from President George W. Bush.

The US military, with British support, began a bombing campaign against Taliban forces, officially launching Operation Enduring Freedom. The invasion consisted of American, British, Canadian, and Australian forces, with other countries providing logistical support. The US aimed to destroy al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime from power.

The Taliban regime was removed from power, and a new government was formed. However, most members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured. Osama bin Laden escaped into neighbouring Pakistan, and al-Qaeda leaders continued to hide out in the mountains.

The US continued to carry out counter-terrorism operations in Afghanistan, and in 2011, Osama bin Laden was killed in Pakistan by US Special Forces. Despite this, al-Qaeda continued to operate in Afghanistan, and in 2022, the US assessed that the Taliban were still maintaining ties with al-Qaeda's senior leadership.

The Taliban refused to hand over Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda operatives to the US

The Taliban's refusal to hand over Osama bin Laden and other al-Qaeda operatives to the US was a key factor in the US decision to invade Afghanistan.

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, US President George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban government extradite Osama bin Laden to the US and also expel al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan. Bin Laden had been active in Afghanistan since the Soviet-Afghan War and was already wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in the 1998 US embassy bombings.

The Taliban declined to extradite bin Laden and ignored demands to shut down terrorist bases or extradite other suspected terrorists. In response, the US launched Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001, alongside the UK. The two countries were later joined by a large multinational force, including Afghanistan's local Northern Alliance.

The US had issued an ultimatum to the Taliban government, demanding that they hand over all al-Qaeda personnel still in the country and close the training camps. When the Taliban refused, military action seemed increasingly likely.

The US had evidence that bin Laden was in the mountain redoubt of Tora Bora, and they believed that he had a large contingent of al-Qaeda fighters with him. They had intercepted radio communications in which bin Laden exhorted his men to keep fighting.

Despite the US and UK's best efforts, bin Laden was able to escape across the border into Pakistan with the help of Afghan and Pakistani forces.

The US wanted to topple the Taliban regime and install a new government

The US also wanted to deny the Taliban control of Afghanistan because it believed that the Taliban's harsh interpretation of Islamic law was oppressive and incompatible with the US's values. The Taliban had banned women from working or attending school and enforced strict rules on veiling and seclusion.

The US also wanted to prevent the Taliban from committing further human rights abuses. The Taliban had a history of human rights abuses, including the execution of civilians, and the US wanted to prevent this from continuing.

The US wanted to prevent the Northern Alliance from taking control of Afghanistan

The Northern Alliance was a military coalition of groups that operated between 1992 and 2001 following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The Alliance was formed by non-Pashtun Northerners who had been affiliated with the Republic of Afghanistan under Mohammad Najibullah but became disaffected with Pashtun Khalqist Afghan Army officers holding control over non-Pashtun militias in the North. The Alliance was led by Ahmad Shah Massoud and included factions from the Sunni Tajik, Shia Hazara, Sunni Uzbek and Turkmen, and Sunni Pashtun communities.

In 1996, the Taliban seized Kabul and founded the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They imposed a fundamentalist interpretation of Islam in areas under their control, including edicts that forbade women from working outside the home or attending school. The Northern Alliance retreated north to the Panjshir Valley and formed a resistance movement against the Taliban. By 2001, the Taliban controlled 80% of the country, with the Northern Alliance confined to the country's northeast corner.

In the early 2000s, the Northern Alliance was the main opposition to the Taliban regime. The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001, providing support to Northern Alliance troops on the ground in a two-month war against the Taliban. The US aimed to destroy al-Qaeda and remove the Taliban regime from power, but they also wanted to prevent the Northern Alliance from taking control of Afghanistan. CIA director George Tenet argued that the US should target al-Qaeda but "hold off on the Taliban" since attacking them could jeopardise relations with Pakistan. The Taliban had support from Pakistan and the US wanted to avoid alienating them. The US also believed that the Alliance's rule would alienate the country's Pashtun majority.

The US invasion of Afghanistan marked the first phase of what would become a 20-year-long war. The US and its allies launched an intensive bombing campaign against the Taliban and provided significant logistical support to the Northern Alliance. The Taliban surrendered Kandahar, their last stronghold, on 6 December 2001, and an interim government was installed. The Northern Alliance was dissolved as members and parties supported the new Afghan Interim Administration, with some members later becoming part of the Karzai administration.

The US wanted to prevent a repeat of the Soviet experience in Afghanistan

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 was a major conflict of the Cold War. The Soviets invaded Afghanistan to support the local pro-Soviet government that had been installed during Operation Storm-333. The invasion was also motivated by concerns about growing US influence in Afghanistan. The Soviets wanted to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a US forward operating base in Central Asia, which they saw as their "soft underbelly".

The Soviet invasion was met with fierce resistance from Afghan guerrillas. The Soviets had initially planned to swiftly secure Afghanistan's towns and road networks, stabilize the pro-Soviet government, and withdraw all military forces within six months to a year. However, they faced fierce resistance from Afghan guerrillas and experienced operational difficulties in the rugged mountainous terrain. The Soviets' brutality towards the Afghan people further fuelled the resistance.

The Soviets' original goal of shoring up the pro-Soviet government was ultimately unsuccessful. The war lasted a decade and resulted in the deaths of approximately 3,000,000 Afghans, while millions more fled the country as refugees. The Soviet invasion also caused grave destruction throughout Afghanistan and has been cited as a significant factor that contributed to the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

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