afganishtan war and taliban war

1. By Ashish Kumar
TURMOIL IN
AFGHANISTAN

2.  Arabs introduce religion to Afghanistan and Afghanistan became the center of Islamic
power and civilization.
 Genghis Khan invades Afghanistan, he destroyed the irrigation systems turning the
fertile soils into permanent deserts.
 Marco Polo crosses Afghanistan on his way to China.
 Various dynasties control Afghanistan with frequent wars for political control.
 Many wars between Afghanistan and Persia as each takes a turn controlling this
region.
 Afghans retake Kandahar from the Persians and establish modern Afghanistan, 1774.
ORIGIN OF AFGHANISTAN (652 – 1774)

3.  The Taliban, which means “students” in the Pashto language, emerged in
1994 around the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. It was one of the factions
fighting a civil war for control of the country following the withdrawal of the
Soviet Union and subsequent collapse of the government.
 It originally drew members from so-called “mujahideen” fighters who, with
support from the United States, repelled Soviet forces in the 1980s.
 Within the space of two years, the Taliban had gained sole control over most
of the country, proclaiming an Islamic emirate in 1996 with a harsh
interpretation of Islamic law. Other mujahideen groups retreated to the north of
the country.
 The Taliban’s founder and original leader was Mullah Mohammad Omar,
who went into hiding after the Taliban was toppled. So secretive were his
whereabouts that his death, in 2013, was only confirmed two years later by his
son
ORIGIN OF TALIBAN

4.  Back in 2001, the US was responding to the 9/11 attacks on New York and
Washington, in which nearly 3,000 people were killed. Officials identified
Islamist militant group al-Qaeda, and its leader Osama Bin Laden, as
responsible.
 Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, under the protection of the Taliban, the
Islamists who had been in power since 1996.
 When they refused to hand him over, the US intervened militarily, quickly
removing the Taliban and vowing to support democracy and eliminate the
terrorist threat.
 Nato allies had joined the US and a new Afghan government took over in
2004 but deadly Taliban attacks continued. President Barack Obama's "troop
surge" in 2009 helped push back the Taliban but it was not long term.
WHY DID THE US FIGHT A WAR IN
AFGHANISTAN AND WHY DID IT LAST SO
LONG?

5.  In 2014, at the end of what was the bloodiest year since 2001, Nato's
international forces ended their combat mission, leaving responsibility for
security to the Afghan army.
 That gave the Taliban momentum and they seized more territory.
 Peace talks between the US and the Taliban started tentatively, with the
Afghan government pretty much uninvolved, and the agreement on a
withdrawal came in February 2020 in Qatar.
 The US-Taliban deal did not stop the Taliban attacks - they switched their
focus instead to Afghan security forces and civilians, and targeted
assassinations. Their areas of control grew.
WHY DID THE US FIGHT A WAR IN
AFGHANISTAN AND WHY DID IT LAST SO
LONG?

6. Objectives of Operation Enduring Freedom and War Against Terror:-
Post 9/11 attack, there was a strong emotional current in the USA, and everyone
wanted the perpetrators of this event to be punished. Immediately America started
“Operation Enduring Freedom”. With the elimination of Osama Bin Laden and
major leaders of Al-Qaeda, there were people in the top echelons of the White
House who believed that the war against terror is over, and it is not wise for the
United States to remain there. Moreover, there are clear ideological differences
between the Republicans and the Democrats, and Joe Biden being a Democrat
himself did not want this so-called “War Against Terror” to continue.
FIVE REASONS FOR AMERICAN
WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

7. Changing Focus from Central Asia to the Asia Pacific
As China started flexing its muscles in the Asia Pacific, it was inevitable for the
United States to ignore the same. It formed various forums like Quad to counter
the dragon but stopping him can not be a cakewalk. For a long-term strategy, the
US has to put its feet firmly in the Asia Pacific
Taliban 1.0 and Taliban 2.0
There is a clear difference between the earlier Taliban (1994-2001) or Taliban 1.0
and the present-day Taliban (Taliban 2.0). Today’s Taliban is eager to wash off the
tag of a terrorist organisation and wants legitimacy. This was one of the prime
reasons to open a political office in Doha-Qatar
FIVE REASONS FOR AMERICAN
WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

8. Financial Implications of deployment
The United States has spent over three trillion USD in the so-called “War Against
terror” in the last 20 years. Maintaining a force level in such a location is difficult
and involved expensive resources. Maintaining the supply chain was also an
important perspective.
Outcome of the US Presidential elections 2020
During the run to Presidential elections 2020, Joe Biden has put his priorities clear.
Withdrawal from Afghanistan and concentrating on domestic challenges was one
of the most important agendas of the Democratic Party. When American voters
selected them, they had to deliver the promise.
FIVE REASONS FOR AMERICAN
WITHDRAWAL FROM AFGHANISTAN

9. THANK YOU….