Setting the Stage for US Wars
in Iraq & Afghanistan
Background
• Created at the end of
WWI
– Treaty of Versailles
– Combined 3 ethic
groups
• Kurds (North)
• Sunni’s (Central)
• Shia (South)
Government
• British established a Monarchy
• 1958: The Kings assassination brings a
military dictatorship
• 1968: Ba’ath Party takes control by
assassination
– Secularism
– Pan-Arabism
– Socialism
Saddam Hussein
• Gained power in
Ba’ath Party as an
assassin
• 2nd in command when
Ba’ath Party took
control
• Became Dictator in
1979
• Authoritarian control:
– Define:
Iran- Iraq War 1980-1988
• Saddam uses
Chemical weapons
– Even against the
Kurds in his own
nation
• 1 million people die
• Saddam has 4th
largest Army in the
world
– Low on money from
war
Aug. 1990: Iraq invades Kuwait
• Invades Kuwait/ places
troops on Said Arabian
border
• Saudi Arabia asks U.N.
for protection
– U.N. –led by U.S.- sent
troops to Saudi Arabia
– President Bush sets Jan.
15 1991 as deadline for
Iraq to leave Kuwait
• Iraq ignores the date
Persian Gulf War
• Jan. 16th 1991: U.S.
begins bombing forces in
Kuwait and in Iraq
• Feb. 23- U.N. forces
invade Kuwait
• March 3 Iraq signs cease
fire
• Iraq agrees to:
– No biological/ chemical/
nuclear weapons
– Open to U.N. weapons
inspections
– No fly zones (to protect
Kurdish, Shia Iraqi’s)
Persian Gulf War Results
• 22,000 Iraqi Dead
• 148 U.S. Dead
• In return for the
United Nations
stopping its attack,
Saddam agreed to
the following:
– Chemical / Biological
Inspections
– No-Fly Zones
Osama Bin Laden
• Son of a wealthy Saudi
Arabian Construction
family (Billions)
• Outraged over US
presence on “Holy Soil”
(Saudi Arabia). Protested
against the government.
• Also points to US
support of Israel
– Banished from Saudi
Arabia
– Moves to Sudan, then
Afghanistan
Background
• 1992: Osama Bin Laden is banned from Saudi
Arabia
– Criticizes government for allowing U.S. forces onto
Muslim soil
– Goes to Sudan
• 1996: The Taliban takes over Afghanistan
• 1996: Under pressure from the US, Bin Laden is
kicked out of Sudan
– Welcomed by the Taliban
– Operates Terrorists training centers for Al-Qaeda
Bin Laden in Afghanistan
• 1980’s: Fights to kick Russia out of
Afghanistan
• US helps with money and weapons then
leaves
• Forms Al-Queda to fight against “evil” and
spread fundamentalist Islam
Bin Laden Attacks America
Somalia - 1993
18 Killed
World Trade Center Bombing 1993
6 Killed
Bombing of U.S. Embassies in
Tanzania & Kenya -1998
Over 200 Killed
Bombing of the USS Cole -
2000
17 Killed
September 11, 2001
• 3,057 Americans killed
• Largest attack on
American soil in almost
200 years
• President Bush vows that
the attackers will pay
• Suspicion goes to Al-
Qaeda
– They soon take credit for
the attack
September 11th 2001
3057 Killed
• 19 Hijackers
– 15 from Saudi Arabia
– 2 from Egypt
– 1 each from United Arab Emirates and
Lebanon
Afghanistan
A Brief History
• Has been invaded many
times:
– Persians from (modern
day) Iran
History
– 327 BC 150BC:
Alexander the Great
– Kushans 0 AD 700
AD
– ~ 700 AD: Muslims
(Sunni) take over
– 1220: Genghis Khan
– 1505: Mogul Dynasty
– 1738: Persians
– 1838-1842: The British
try to take over
– 1878-1880: They try
again
– 1979 - 1989: Russia
invades
• Diverse population
of 29 million people
– Dozens of ethnic
Effect of Invasions
groups
– Hundreds of tribes
• Many Afghans identify
with their tribe first
• Then their ethnic group
– Few major cities
• Most scattered though
out small villages/
hamlets
• Very difficult to
bring together under
one government
Recent History of Fundamentalist
Islam in Afghanistan
• 1979 The Soviet
Union Invades
– 10 years of fighting
• A worldwide call goes
out to declare Jihad
(struggle)
– Muslims across the
world rush to remove
the invaders of a
Muslim nation
– They form the
Mujahideen
Mujahideen
• An army of Muslim
fighters of Jihad
defending Islam
• Made up of Muslims
from around the world
(including Osama Bin
Laden)
• Assisted by the
United State’s CIA to
remove the Soviet
Union ($, weapons,
training)
1989: The Soviets Retreat
• The United States then removes aid
• Leaves a gap for who is going to run the
country
• The Mujahideen break up into groups
fighting for control
• The Civil War rips apart the country even
more than the Soviet Invasion
• 1996: The Taliban take control of
Afghanistan
• Fundamentalist Islamic
group who believes that
the religion of Islam
The Taliban
should be the government
• Began during the Civil
War as a group to fight
road thieves.
• Brutal fighters
• They bring order to
Afghanistan through strict
religious rules
– Most Afghans welcome
the end of the wars at
first.
Taliban Law
• Sharia (Islamic)
Laws…No:
– Education or sports for
women
– TV
– Movies
– Videos
– Music
– Dancing
– Clapping during sports
events
– Kite flying
– Beard trimming
Bush Doctrine
• Bush Doctrine: The United States will
attack first against any nation that poses a
threat to the security of the United States
or its allies
The Ultimatum
• President Bush informed the
Taliban that they must turn
over Bin Laden to the US or
they will face the
consequences.
– The United States will make
no distinction between the
terrorists who committed these
acts and those who harbor
them,“
• The Taliban offers to try Bin
Laden in their court according
to Shiria Law – refused
• Taliban offered to hand Bin
Laden to a third country for trial
under Shiria Law - Refused
October 2001: America attacks
Operation Enduring Freedom
• Massive air bombings
• January 2002: Ground
troops are sent into
Afghanistan.
– Britain joins with the US
– North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO)
follows:
• Canada, Germany,
France, Italy, Poland,
Australia, Spain,
Netherlands, Denmark
and 34 other nations.
Goals
• Capture Osama Bin
Laden
• Remove Taliban
from power
• Disband Al-Qaeda /
prevent their
operation in
Afghanistan
Initial
Results
• US forces overwhelm
the Taliban
• Taliban is removed from
power
• Al-Qaeda camps
destroyed
• Osama Bin Laden on the
run
• Life changes for those in
US controlled areas
The Hunt for Bin Laden
• Osama Bin Laden runs to the mountain region
called Tora Bora
– Cave Complex
• Area is bombed
• Special Forces sent to area with Afghan guides
• More troops requested- refused
– US policy focused on major cities
• Afghan guides turn on US troops
• Bin Laden escapes to Pakistan
Pakistan
• Government is allied with
US
• Population is divided
• Some areas support anti-
US movements
• The border areas are now
controlled by Taliban/ Al-
Qaeda
– Most attacks against US
troops staged out of
Pakistan
– Government refuses to
allow US troops to enter
Pakistan
2003: US Goes to War in Iraq
• Resources dedicated
to Iraq
• End of 2003:
– 13,900 troops in
Afghanistan
– 140,000 troops in Iraq
• Taliban begins to re-
conquer areas they
lost
Strategy
• Small outposts
spread throughout
Afghanistan
• Designed to:
– Prevent return of Al-
Qaeda
– Remove Taliban
influence in area
• Patrol area towns
– Fight the Taliban
– Provide services to
the people
Guerilla
Warfare
• No uniformed combatants
• Hit and run tactics
– Improvised Explosive
Device (IEDS)
– Ambush
• Then mix with population
• Effect:
– Frustration
– Who’s the enemy?
– Increased civilians killed
(collateral damage)
Afghanistan Government
• President Karzai elected
2004
– Corrupt government
• Turns many toward
Taliban for stability
• 2009 election
– Abdullah Abdullah
challenges the President
• Nov. 2009 President
Karzai wins
– Corrupt election
– Anger increases
After 8 Years of
War
• Troops in Iraq have been
reduced (staying out of
major cities)
• 100,000 troops in
Afghanistan
• Increased violence
– Taliban gaining power in
areas
– US casualties growing
• 1455 Dead
• 9256 Wounded
President Obama’s Decision
1. Leave Afghanistan
2. Keep the status as-
is
3. Increase troops (as
requested)
What would you do?
Why?
What would the
consequences be?
Decision
• Send additional troops
– Goals
• train an Afghan army and
police force
• Afghan government to
provide increased services
• Conditions:
– President Karzai must work
to eliminate corruption
– 400,000 trained soldiers
and police
• Timeline: Begin
Removing troops July
2011
Challenges to President Obama’s
Plan
• Corruption of President Karzai’s
government
• Need to recruit and train 400,000 Afghan
soldiers
– Corrupt
• Bringing the countryside within the
government
• Pakistan