US Invasion of Afghanistan
US Invasion of Afghanistan
Overview
The invasion of US in Afghanistan led to the now famous Afghanistan war that began in 2001. The Invasion of Afghanistan was driven by the September 11 terrorist attacks in US. Prior to the (9/11 attacks the world had began to acknowledge the existence of terrorism as a threat to worldwide peace and security. However, countries were slow to initiate efforts to curtail terrorist efforts across the globe. The September 11 attacks was the worst terrorist attacks against US. Terrorists linked to the Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda hijacked four passenger jets and flew two of them directly into the world trade center another directed at the pentagon, and another directed at the United States Capitol buildings (Sabahuddin, 2008, 156). These were suicide attacks that led to the death of close to 3000 individuals with more than 6000 injuries reported. This paper reviews the invasion of Us in Afghanistan and the policies that the US has on the country.
Reason for Invasion
After the September 11 attacks, US and its allies embarked on a mission to disarm and destroy terrorist groups. A decision was made to use Afghanistan as a base as it was believed the country and its leaders hosted terrorist and their sympathizers. Initially, it is believed that US had given the Taliban in Afghanistan the option of turning over al-Qaida militants such as Osama bin Laden, but it refused. The Taliban had gained power over Afghanistan by 1996. The Taliban held extreme laws that they based on retrograde interpretations of the Quran. The Taliban government also disregarded human rights and distant itself from the world community. Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda was the mastermind behind the September 121 attacks which he announced as a success. The US suspected that the al-Qaeda group was hiding in Afghanistan as it prepared for similar attacks against US and its allies. After it became apparent that the Taliban government in Afghanistan was unwilling to turn over Osama bin Laden, US invaded the country and initiated the Afghan war (Sabahuddin, 2008, 155). The US government claimed that it acted in self defense as provided by article 51 of the UN charter. US was determined to attack Afghanistan in an effort to trample on the Taliban troops as they were terrorist sympathizers and posed a threat to worldwide security.
Other political analysts argue that the US used the 9/11 attacks as an excuse to invade Afghanistan due to its rich oil reserves in the surrounding regions. According to () US had been contemplating war as early as 1991 with the defeat of Iraq in the Persian Gulf War. Taking control of Afghanistan would mean that US would have a safe route to transport oil to western nations. In the early 90’s, the US did not have a problem with the Taliban government and ignored their extreme form of governance. However, the relation between US and the Taliban government began to strain with suspicions of Taliban involvements in attacks on US embassies in East Africa (Gootnick, 2005, 53).
From then on, the US became highly suspicious of Taliban’s participation in terrorism and began to demand the handing over of bin Laden. In 1998, US launched a series of missile attacks on Afghanistan in an effort to intimidate Taliban to hand over Laden. Prior to the September 11 attacks, the US under Bush administration had threatened to attack Afghanistan. The 9/11 attacks gave them additional reasons to invade the nation (Sabahuddin, 2008, 158). Invading Afghanistan would enable US trounce the Taliban government while at the same time cripple the insurgent groups such as Taliban that posed a threat to America and its allies. The invasion of Taliban on the basis of dominating the oil rich region have been refuted by former president Bush’ administration as well as Obama’s administration.
The US government insists that it invasion of Afghanistan was directed at the terrorist attacks of 9/11. The attacks were proof of the effective coordination and organization of Al-Qaeda. It was also evident that the terrorist threat was real as it had almost crippled US with its 9/11 attacks; other western nations had to act. US got support from nations such as Britain and Canada which sent its troops to Afghanistan marking the begging of the Afghanistan invasion in 2001.
US Continued Occupation in Afghanistan
The Afghanistan war began in 2001 and to-date the US troops continue to make their presence in the country. The war in Afghanistan has been intense seeing the collapse of Taliban government. However, the Taliban groups, which was believed to have joined forces with Islamic militant groups such as Al-Qaeda, posed a threat to peace in the nations. There was a need for the persistent existence of the US military to eliminate the Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters. Air strikes in Al-Qaida strongholds such as Tora Bora weakened the group further. To-date, however, Taliban and al-Qaeda groups continue to pose a threat to peace keeping efforts in Afghanistan. In 2008 for instance, Taliban attack a convoy of NATO vehicles that was headed to Afghanistan to supply humanitarian aid. These attacks are aimed at sabotaging the US government and its Allies efforts to assist innocent civilians affected by the war (CRS Report for congress, 2003, 34).
The US continued stay in Afghanistan is also associated with its efforts to assist the country in recovery and reconstruction efforts. Since 2002, the US government has used over $50 billion for purposes of reconstruction assistance to Afghanistan. The destruction of Afghanistan as a result of US invasion was immense, and reconstruction efforts require international intervention that will take time (Gootnick, 2005, 50). The presence of US in Afghanistan will help the country slowly recover. The war adversely affected the civilians, and it is the responsibility of US to assist the civilians live a normal life during the post-war period.
Currently, US assists by providing humanitarian aid hence providing a sense of normalcy to the citizens of Afghanistan. US is also trying to prove its commitment in securing peace in nor only Afghanistan, but the entire central Asian region. The US also continues to stay in Afghanistan so as to prevent the infiltration of terrorist groups and their sympathizers into the country.
U.S. policy goals in Afghanistan
One of the main aims of US in Afghanistan is to establish a stable nation free-off Taliban rule. After 22years of warfare, Afghanistan, with the assistance of US is stabilizing. After the collapse of the Taliban led government, Afghanistan has a government that is people driven. This is one of the main policy goals that the US has successfully achieved with regards to Afghanistan. To-date the US military based in Afghanistan, strives to ensure that the Taliban group does not regain the power it had over Afghanistan prior to the 2001 invasion. In an effort to curb threats of resurgent groups, Obama’s administration announced the deployment of additional US troops in Afghanistan.
US policy on Afghanistan also targets on engaging in counter-terrorism strategies, to ensure that all terrorist groups are destroyed (Gootnick, 2005, 52). The US, in its quest to destroy terrorist groups’ promises to deny al-Qaeda any safe haven, the US government also aims to reverse Taliban’s momentum by destroying their strong holds and arresting their leaders. In May 2, 2011, US forces successfully tracked and killed Osama bin Laden, the founder and leader of Al-Qaeda. The US government also intends to strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan security forces so that they can take charge of their nation. So far, US has been able to guarantee security by sending additional troops to Afghanistan. In 2011, Obama’s administration addressed the nation on the progress they have made with regards to Afghanistan, and the fight against Al-Qaeda. By the end of 2011, US confirmed that it had killed 20 out of 30 al-Qaeda officials including bin Laden. The US government also announced that it had enhanced security forces in Afghanistan by training it national security forces. This is in an effort to ensure that Afghanistan has a strong security forces that can manage its own security matters once US permanently withdraws from the country (White House, 2012). In 2011, 10000 US troop withdrew from Afghanistan and it is expected that another 33,000 will leave Afghanistan by the end of 2012.
US also aims to build a positive relation with the new restructured Afghanistan. Rather than viewing the presence of American in Afghanistan, the US aims to demonstrate that its invasion since 2001 were all with good intentions. First the destroyed the Taliban ending their tyrannical rule (CRS Report for congress, 2003, 29). The US also helped Afghanistan in restructuring efforts to enhance stability in the country. With such a perception US hopes to engage in strategic partnership agreement with Afghanistan’s new government. US hopes to engage Afghanistan in the path towards recovery as both nations were affected by the occurrences in Afghanistan. The US citizens for instance, lived in fear of attacks by terrorism groups harbored by the Taliban government, whereas the citizens of Afghanistan suffered under the governance of Taliban. Eliminating a common enemy is an indicator that the two nations can work together towards establishing new sets of national priorities.
Conclusion
The invasion of US in Afghanistan drew mixed reactions across the world. Whereas US insisted that its mission in US was to eliminate Al-Qaeda terrorist and their sympathizers, critics were concerned that the invasion was an excuse for US to take control of Afghanistan for their selfish interest. It was after the 9/11 attacks that the US became motivated to venture into Afghanistan and eradicate terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda. After the Taliban government had been removed from Afghanistan and terrorist groups weakened, US continued their stay in an effort to help the country in reconstruction efforts. US also established policies such as continued security efforts to ensure that the Taliban and terrorist groups do not make a re-entry into the new Afghanistan. US also expects to form new relations with the newly created Afghanistan government and formulate new national priorities.
Work Cited
CRS Report for congress, (2003). Afghanistan: current issues and US policy
Gootnick, D. (2005). Afghanistan reconstruction. DIANE publishing. 50
Sabahuddin, A. (2008). History of Afghanistan.Global Vision Publishing. 155
White House, (2012). Foreign policy. Retrieved on 12th December from http://www.whitehouse.gov/issues/foreign-policy
Is this your assignment or some part of it?
We can do it for you! Click to Order!
