AFGHANISTAN The Facts… After 9/11, USA waged a War on Terror USA decided to go after any country who helped terrorists Who was our main target after September 11th????

Target(s) Operation Enduring Freedom began after 9/11/2001 (proactive use of force to deal with foreign countries) GOALS: capture Al Qaeda operatives and free Afghanistan of the Taliban (Islamic militant group who controls the region)

Mission MISSION: (1)find, capture, kill – Osama Bin Laden (check mark 2 May 2011) (2) Disrupt/ End terrorist groups’ ability to train in Afghanistan/ area USA troops in Afghanistan since 2009 have steadily declined. We fight insurgents (foreign fighters) there today.

Troop Levels

A Relentless Enemy - 60 Minutes - CBS News What is it like… A Relentless Enemy - 60 Minutes - CBS News

The IRAQ WAR The Facts

What It Looks Like…

Important Information WHO: The United States vs. Iraq WHEN: 2003 to 2010 WHERE: The Middle East – Iraq

Specifics… WHO: Presidents Bush and Obama vs. Saddam Hussein, WHY: WMDs or Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq Some say it is over oil Some say it is Little Bush getting back for his daddy not killing Saddam during the Persian Gulf War of the 1990s Some say to bring democracy and freedom to the Iraqi people

WMDs and Saddam- A History In the 1980s, Saddam used chemical weapons against his own people, the Kurds. Because of that, we had every reason to believe he would use WMDs.

More Specifics… After Persian Gulf War, UN told Iraq and Hussein to destroy WMDs Several times the UN tried to visit Iraq to check on this, but Hussein wouldn’t allow it After 9/11, Pres. Bush pushed UN to be more forceful This goes back and forth until late 2002

Final Warnings… In early 2003, Pres. Bush and the UN finally get a resolution to allow UN officials to check Iraq for WMDs – this was withdrawn because France and Germany didn’t like it On March 17, 2003, Bush gives Hussein and ultimatum – leave Iraq in 48 hours or face military action Within days, USA gets information that Hussein and his top officials are hiding underground

War Begins… On March 20, 2003 at 2:30am in Iraq, USA sends missiles into Baghdad (Iraq’s capital) Within hours more targets are hit and the war, code named – Operation Iraqi Freedom, has started Goals: Get rid of WMDs Rid Iraq of Saddam Bring stability to Iraq Taking over Baghdad took roughly 21 days 21 Days to Baghdad

What Next… Despite hiding out in bunkers and underground (literally), Hussein was captured He was put on trial for war crimes and sentenced to death He was hanged on Dec. 30, 2006