Overview
 Understand the events and timeline of the U.S. involvement in
Afghanistan following the September 11th attacks
 Understand the changing nature of military aviation as evidenced
in the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan
U.S. War
in Afghanistan
Timeline:
Sept 18: President
Bush signs
resolution for the
use of force against
those responsible
for 9/11
2001
Oct 7:U.S. Airstrikes
begin against Taliban
forces. Ground forces
follow 12 days later
Nov: Taliban
retreat from Kabul
into countryside
supported by tribal
warlords
Dec 5: Hamid
Karzai is named
interim leader of UN
backed Afghanistan
government
Dec: Battle of
Tora Bora Begins
U.S. War in Afghanistan:
Tora Bora: Dec 2001
• U.S. airstrikes pound a series of cave complexes
housing Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. U.S. airstrikes are
supporting Afghan militia fighters on the ground. Less
than 100 American commandos are on the scene
• Concerned that too many U.S. troops in Afghanistan
would create an anti-American backlash and fuel a
widespread insurgency the US SECDEF rejects a call for
U.S. ground reinforcements to launch an assault on the
cave complex or to block the mountain paths leading to
sanctuary a few miles away in Pakistan.
• Rumsfeld relied on airstrikes and untrained Afghan
militias to conduct the operation
• On or around December 16, bin Laden walks
unmolested out of Tora Bora disappearing into Pakistan’s
unregulated tribal area.
U.S. War
in Afghanistan
Timeline:
2002-2004
Mar: U.S. launches
Operation Anaconda
engaging Taliban forces
in Paktia province.
Pentagon signals shift in
resources to Iraq
Jun: Hamid
Karzai is
confirmed as
President of
Afghanistan
Nov: U.S. Provisional
Reconstruction Teams
(PRT) begin work in
Afghanistan
Aug 2003: NATO
assumes primary
responsibility for
Afghan security
Jan-Oct 2004: New
Afghan constitution
is ratified and
Karzai wins election
U.S. War
in Afghanistan
Timeline:
2005-2009
May 05: President
Bush and Karzai
declare a new strategic
partnership. U.S.
begins to train local
Afghan security units
Sep 05: 6 Million
Afghans vote in
election
Jul-Nov: Violence surges
in south. NATO tensions
mount as member
countries debate pulling
back commitment
May 07- Aug 08: Key
Taliban leaders killed, but
U.S. collateral damage to
civilians increase as
guerilla tactics change
Feb 09: Obama
agrees to send
17,000 troops to
Afghanistan
Afghan: Ground Experience: 2008
Afghan: Ground Experience: 2008
U.S. War
in Afghanistan
Timeline:
Jul 09: The U.S.
launches series of
offensive in south to
quell Taliban
insurgency
2009-2011
Aug-Nov 09: Karzai
wins reelection.
However the election
is marred by
allegations of fraud
Jan – Feb 10: Violence in
Kabul rises. U.S./NATO
launches “Op Moshtarak”
on last Taliban stronghold.
Top Taliban Commander
(Baradar) is captured
Apr 10: Karzai
claims UN/EU is
rigging Afghan
election.
Relationship with
U.S. under strain
Jul 10: Deadliest
month for U.S.
troops. Taliban
digging in o last
few areas
U.S. War
in Afghanistan
Timeline:
2011 – 2014?
$
On 1 May 2011, al-Qaeda
leader Osama bin Laden is
killed in Pakistan during a
U.S. Special Operations
strike
Jun 11: President Obama
announces U.S. withdrawal
strategy. Troops are currently
scheduled to start in July 12, with
the last troops leaving in 2014
Cost of War
(2001-2011)
$468Billon
U.S. to complete
withdrawal: 2014
Jan 12 - Pres: Series of U.S. troop
activities (Koran burning, Panjwai
shooting , etc.) have stained U.S.
relations with Afghan populace.
Afghanistan: Changing Airpower
Predator and Reaper UAVs