On October 8th, 2001, less than 4 weeks after the 9/11 attacks on mainland America, American and British forces began an aerial bombing campaign that was to be the precursor for a war that is still ongoing. The Afghan invasion had two goals: to oust the Taliban in retaliation for letting al-Qaida train there and to capture Osama Bin Laden, the man held responsible for 9/11. However, there have been reports that America was planning an invasion of Afghanistan before the 9/11 attacks, which suggests that they either knew that the USA was going to be attacked or that they were using those attacks as a handy excuse for the war which provided allied forces a “moral” reason for participating in a coalition invasion.
The invasion of Afghanistan was the start of a worldwide War On Terror which only seems to have toured the Middle East so far, and then only visiting the countries George W. Bush has a personal issue with. Since then, UK forces have suffered 52 deaths and (in 2006 alone) 85 casualties as hostilities continue. This, of course, pales into insignificance when compared to the estimated 5,000 – 7,000 civilian deaths that have occurred since Operation Enduring Freedom began.
The removal of the Taliban government has returned voting and democracy to Afghanistan, with 2005 seeing the first freely elected legislature since 1972. It has also seen the return of opium production, something banned under the Taliban regime and previously punishable by death. Opium now accounts for between one to two thirds of the nation’s GDP, while warlordism and banditry are rife.
The invasion of Afghanistan was the start of a worldwide War On Terror which only seems to have toured the Middle East so far, and then only visiting the countries George W. Bush has a personal issue with. Since then, UK forces have suffered 52 deaths and (in 2006 alone) 85 casualties as hostilities continue. This, of course, pales into insignificance when compared to the estimated 5,000 – 7,000 civilian deaths that have occurred since Operation Enduring Freedom began.
The removal of the Taliban government has returned voting and democracy to Afghanistan, with 2005 seeing the first freely elected legislature since 1972. It has also seen the return of opium production, something banned under the Taliban regime and previously punishable by death. Opium now accounts for between one to two thirds of the nation’s GDP, while warlordism and banditry are rife.
The people of Afghanistan must be rejoicing.
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