Wars in Afghanistan

Soviet-Afghan War  1979: Soviet Union invades Afghanistan (afraid of U.S. control)  Early 80’s: Soviet Union takes control, installs puppet government (government that is supposed to look like it is supported by the Afghani people but is actually accountable to the Soviet Union)  Mid 80’s: Mujahideen (Afghan freedom fighters) increase resistance  Mid 80’s: U.S. secretly trains and supplies Mujahideen  1979: Soviet Union invades Afghanistan (afraid of U.S. control)  Early 80’s: Soviet Union takes control, installs puppet government (government that is supposed to look like it is supported by the Afghani people but is actually accountable to the Soviet Union)  Mid 80’s: Mujahideen (Afghan freedom fighters) increase resistance  Mid 80’s: U.S. secretly trains and supplies Mujahideen

Soviet-Afghan War  The Stinger: Heat seeking missile allows Mujahideen to destroy Soviet helicopters  1989: S.U. withdraws from Afghanistan after failing to end the resistance  Soviet Union lost 15,000 troops  Afghanistan lost 1 million civilians and 90,000 Mujahideen  Comparable to what US war around the same time???  The Stinger: Heat seeking missile allows Mujahideen to destroy Soviet helicopters  1989: S.U. withdraws from Afghanistan after failing to end the resistance  Soviet Union lost 15,000 troops  Afghanistan lost 1 million civilians and 90,000 Mujahideen  Comparable to what US war around the same time???

1990s  1992: Afghans remove Soviet puppet government  : Tribal/Mujahideen leaders fight a brutal civil war for power (**There are many ethnic/linguistic groups still in Afghanistan today.**)  1994: Mohammed Omar creates the Taliban  1992: Afghans remove Soviet puppet government  : Tribal/Mujahideen leaders fight a brutal civil war for power (**There are many ethnic/linguistic groups still in Afghanistan today.**)  1994: Mohammed Omar creates the Taliban  Goals:  1- End the violence and lawlessness  2- Create an Islamic state with an ultra- conservative interpretation of the Qur’an  Goals:  1- End the violence and lawlessness  2- Create an Islamic state with an ultra- conservative interpretation of the Qur’an

The Taliban  1995: Taliban control most of Afghanistan  Late 90’s: Taliban installs strict laws and murders Shia opponents  Taliban Sharia (Islamic law)  No dancing, TV, music, education for women, clapping at sporting events, or hanging pictures in homes  Women forced to wear the Burka  Men must grow beards  Police kill/beat those who do not comply  1995: Taliban control most of Afghanistan  Late 90’s: Taliban installs strict laws and murders Shia opponents  Taliban Sharia (Islamic law)  No dancing, TV, music, education for women, clapping at sporting events, or hanging pictures in homes  Women forced to wear the Burka  Men must grow beards  Police kill/beat those who do not comply

Al Qaeda  1996: Osama Bin Laden moves to Afghanistan, supports the Taliban and builds Al Qaeda: an international terrorist group  Goals of Al Qaeda:  1- Eliminate Western influence in Muslim countries  2- Recreate a Muslim Caliphate (one large Islamic nation)  1996: Osama Bin Laden moves to Afghanistan, supports the Taliban and builds Al Qaeda: an international terrorist group  Goals of Al Qaeda:  1- Eliminate Western influence in Muslim countries  2- Recreate a Muslim Caliphate (one large Islamic nation)

 1998: Al Qaeda bombs U.S. embassies in Africa  9/11/2001: Al Qaeda attacks NYC and WTC  9/21/2001: Taliban refuses to hand over Bin Laden  10/17/2001: U.S. invades Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) to eliminate Taliban and destroy Al Qaeda  1998: Al Qaeda bombs U.S. embassies in Africa  9/11/2001: Al Qaeda attacks NYC and WTC  9/21/2001: Taliban refuses to hand over Bin Laden  10/17/2001: U.S. invades Afghanistan (Operation Enduring Freedom) to eliminate Taliban and destroy Al Qaeda

 12/2001: Taliban retreats to mountains along Afghan-Pakistan border  : Taliban resistance increases  Suicide bombings  I.E.D (Improvised Explosive Devices)  5/2011: Pres. Obama announced Bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan  6/2011: President Obama announced that 10,000 troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2011, and the 33,000 "surge" troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2012  12/2014: NATO forces officially withdrew from Afghanistan  1/20/16: US can now pursue ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Pakistan (10,000 US troops are in Afghanistan currently)  12/2001: Taliban retreats to mountains along Afghan-Pakistan border  : Taliban resistance increases  Suicide bombings  I.E.D (Improvised Explosive Devices)  5/2011: Pres. Obama announced Bin Laden was killed by US forces in Pakistan  6/2011: President Obama announced that 10,000 troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan by the end of 2011, and the 33,000 "surge" troops would be withdrawn by the end of 2012  12/2014: NATO forces officially withdrew from Afghanistan  1/20/16: US can now pursue ISIS-K in Afghanistan and Pakistan (10,000 US troops are in Afghanistan currently)

 War in Afghanistan cost $685 billion!  Longest war in US history  War in Afghanistan cost $685 billion!  Longest war in US history