Junior Tatis

9/30/14
Ms. McPherson
AP Literature & Composition
US Invasion in Afghanistan after 9/11
It was on September 11th, 2001 that the United States was attacked. An attack that
shocked the lives of many Americans that day and that forever changed the country of
Afghanistan. Within hours of the attacks, the United States was on a war footing. The military
was put on the highest state of alert i(Schemann), reported the New York Times a single day
after the attack. It was asked that Afghanistan's leaders immediately deliver Osama bin Laden
and his network and close down every terrorist camp in the country or face military attack by the
United States ii(Bumiller), in response to the attacks.
A sleeping bear was awoken, the United States was on full alert, and without prejudice
their first target was Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has been invaded many times, much of it due to its geopolitical power in the
region of Southern Asia. Although the invasion which ruined Afghanistan as a beautiful country
was when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan after a coup dtat effectively removed the
monarchy. After the Soviets left, came the Taliban, a political group bringing much empty hope
to Afghanis. When the Taliban became the leaders of the country much had changed and the
Taliban put into place many laws that broke apart the countrys spirits. From destroying schools
to mass massacres the Taliban put a permanent scar on Afghanistans history. The Taliban
banned television, music and cinema and disapproved of girls aged 10 and over from going to
school [they] supported punishments such as public executions of convicted murderers
and adulterers and amputations of those found guilty of theft iii(The Taliban). The Taliban

harbored terrorist group Al Qaeda led by Osama Bin Laden with the condition that the group did
not agitate the United States. Although this condition was later broken with the bombings of the
United States embassies in 1996 and with the attack on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on
September 11th, 2001.
On September 18th, 2001 the United States banded together and Congress passed the
Authorization for Use of Military Force a joint resolution To authorize the use of United States
Armed Forces against those responsible for the recent attacks launched against the United
States iv(Pub. L. No. 107). This passage of law effectively declared war against the terrorist
group that attacked the United States and their allies. The United States was ready and so was the
Taliban. Without much contest Americans entered a war code named Operation Enduring
Freedom, a war against terrorism. Although this war affected more than just the people fighting
it the very same war affect what was once a beautiful country. Since the war in Afghanistan
began years ago according to United Nations figures, 9,458 Afghan civilians have been killed or
wounded the bodies and limbs of over 14,000 human beings who were alive and whole then
that article was published have been spent to perpetuate the faade of success v(Davis). The war
continued for many years with bombings destroying terrorist training camps and hideouts. The
search for Osama Bin Laden was fierce. The fighting spread to other parts of the Middle East and
Southern Asia including Iraq and Pakistan where the Taliban rejoiced after being pushed out and
stripped of power by the United States Armed forces. With continued fighting Americans began
to wonder why they were in Afghanistan, who were they really fighting, and was it a mistake to
attack an entire country as a hole for one person or one groups actions. At the beginning of the
war Americans did not oppose the war, yet as the war continue there was a clear growth of

opposition. Four months after the attack, over 90 % of Americans favored the War in
Afghanistan, yet today 49% oppose the war and believe it was a mistake vi(Gallup).
As the war continued in efforts to stop terrorism, many Taliban leaders were killed by
drone attacks. Yet this was not enough, and when President Barack Obama stepped into office, it
was his goal to get troops out of Afghanistan. With troops withdrawing by the end of 2014 as
ordered by the President, on May 1st, 2011, Obama said he determined last week that the U.S.
had enough reliable information to take actionAfter a fire fight, they killed Osama bin Laden
and took custody of his body vii(Stein, Bendery). Regardless of the favored withdrawal, the
mission was finally accomplished. Yet even with the mission accomplish Afghanistan remains in
ruins. Afghanistan continues taking and destroying lives, both due to the direct consequences of
violence and the war-induce breakdown of public health, security, and infrastructure
viii

(Costofwar.org). Afghanistan has lost much since the lost of the monarchy; with the

dictatorship and Soviets the country quickly fell apart. When the Taliban came they promised the
people many things, although the primarily Pashtun group instead wreaked havoc amongst the
people with radical laws and oppression. The United States and allies entered Afghanistan in an
attempt to find Al Qaeda and Osama Bin Laden. Although now that the United States is
withdrawing from the region and Osama has been killed, the Afghan military and police have
grown to handle the protection of the citizens of Afghanistan. While Afghanistan still faces
many challenges, it is headed in the right direction toward a peaceful, stable and unified
outcome ix(Dunford).
In conclusion, Afghanistan is a country that has seen many wars and conflicts. Its people
have seen a lot throughout the years and this has affected them deeply. After much conflict and

after being the epicenter of the United States War on Terror, Afghanistan has begun to grow out
of the Talibans dark shadow and improve as a country.
`

Works Cited:

Schemann, Serge. "Hijacked Jets Destroy Twin Towers and Hit Pentagon." New York Times. N.p., 12
Sept. 2001. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2001%2F09%2F12%2Fnational%2F12PLAN.html
ii

Bumiller, Elisabeth. "A NATION CHALLENGED: THE OVERVIEW; BUSH PLEDGES ATTACK
ON AFGHANISTAN UNLESS IT SURRENDERS BIN LADEN NOW; HE CREATES CABINET
POST FOR SECURITY." New York Times. New York Times, 21 Sept. 2001. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/21/world/nation-challenged-overview-bush-pledges-attackafghanistan-unless-it-surrenders.html
iii

Who Are the Taliban?" BBC News. N.p., 1 Nov. 2013. Web. 01 Oct. 2014.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-south-asia-11451718

iv

AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE, Pub. L. No. 107-PUBLIC LAW 107 - 40,
115 Stat. 224-115 Stat. 225 (2001). Print.
v

Davis, Daniel L. "To Salvage What We Can From Afghanistan, Our Leaders Must Admit That the War
Has Failed." The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, 23 Jan. 2014. Web. 02 Oct. 2014.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/23/to-salvage-what-we-can-from-afghanistan-ourleaders-must-admit-that-the-war-has-failed.html
vi

In reference to polls from Gallup:

"Afghanistan." Gallup.Com. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Sept. 2014.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/116233/afghanistan.aspx
vii

Stein, Sam. "Osama Bin Laden Dead, Obama Announces." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 01 May 2011. Web. 02 Oct. 2014.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/01/osama-bin-laden-dead-killed_n_856091.html
viii

"Afghan Civilians | Costs of War." Afghan Civilians | Costs of War. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Oct. 2014.
http://costsofwar.org/article/afghan-civilians

ix

Dunford, Joseph F. "12 Years after 9/11, Afghanistan Focus Changing." Usatoday.com. USA Today,
n.d. Web.
http%3A%2F%2Fwww.usatoday.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2F2013%2F09%2F11%2Fdunfordseptember-11-al-qaeda-column%2F2792049%2F