Afghanistan

Mr. McDuffieWorld Geography

Location

1. Where is Afghanistan located?

History

• Has existed as a Muslim state since 1747• Some territory lost to Great Britain in 19th

century; later returned• 1978- pro-Communist rebels overthrow

President▫ Try to improve women’s rights, give freedom of

religion▫ Some groups don’t like the changes

2. What happened in 1978?3. What are 2 things the new government tried to do?

Soviet Invasion

• Islamic rebels (mujihadeen) in Afghanistan fight back against new government

• 1979-Soviet Union invades to support pro-Communist government▫ Wanted to spread Communism, gain ally and

trading partner

4. ______________ fought back against the new govt.5. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to …

U.S. Responds• Cold War is still going on• U.S. sees a chance to weaken the Soviet

Union by defeating Communism• U.S. supports Islamic rebels (mujihadeen)

▫ Provide weapons, intelligence and money.▫ $ is matched by Saudi Arabia, who also wants

to support the Muslims

6. Why did the U.S. get involved?

7. We supported _____________________.

U.S. Response cont.• Osama bin Laden, a native of Saudi

Arabia, travels to Afghanistan to support the rebels.

• U.S. donates over 2000 Stinger missiles, many of which were never recovered.

• The CIA provided training manuals in bomb-making, later used for the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

Two Sides• Pro-Communist (Reform)

Government• Islamic Rebels

VS.VS.

Continues until 1989Continues until 1989

Soviet army directly fighting rebels.

Provided weapons and money. No troops on the ground.

1979-1989

• Fighting for control of the government• Both sides supported by two superpowers,

U.S. and USSR

1989

• Soviet Union is collapsing• Soviet army has trained Afghani military

▫ Withdraws from Afghanistan▫ U.S. soon loses interest

• Neither country stays to rebuild country or keep the peace

8. What important event happened in 1989?

After Withdrawal• Warlords begin

fighting for control and to overthrow Soviet govt.

• Taliban wins out▫ Guess who trained

them?• Taliban rules from

1996-2001

9.

10.

Taliban• Installed strictest

government seen in the Muslim world▫ Women could not work, could

not go to school past age 8, required to wear head to toe coverings called burqas

▫ Women caught in schools were executed as were their teachers

▫ Movies, televisions, music, computers banned

• Massacres of various ethnic groups

11. 3 restrictions under the Taliban:

Al Qaeda

• Terrorist organization responsible for attacks on 9/11• Negotiated a partnership with Taliban government

▫ Taliban allows Osama bin Laden to operate and plan terrorist attacks worldwide

• Believed to have moved into Iraq

12. Al Qaeda is …

For more than seven years the United States has been occupying the land of the Two Holy Places, the Arabian Peninsula, plundering its riches, dictating to its rulers, humiliating its people, terrorizing its neighbors, and turning its Peninsula bases into spearheads through which to attack neighboring Muslims…

All of these crimes and sins committed by America clearly demonstrate a declaration of war on God, his Messenger (the Prophet Muhammad), and Muslims…

On that basis, and in compliance with God’s order, we issue the following fatwa to all Muslims:

By the ruling, it is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it to kill Americans and their allies-civilian and military- in any country where it is possible to do so…

--al Qaeda statement prior to attacks on American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998

Osama bin Laden

• Member of one of the richest oil families in Saudi Arabia

• Founder and leader of Al Qaeda

• Claims to have planned 9/11 attacks

• Fought against the Soviet Union during the invasion of Afghanistan

War in Afghanistan

• October 7, 2001- U.S. invades Afghanistan• Three goals

▫ Dismantle Al Qaeda: responsible for 9/11▫ Capture Osama bin Laden: leader of Al Qaeda▫ Overthrow the Taliban: cooperated with Al Qaeda

• 2004: Democratic elections in Afghanistan• 2006: Increased Taliban activity• 2014: intended withdrawal date for U.S. troops

Death of bin Laden• On May 2, 2011, U.S.

Navy SEALs conducted a raid on bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan

• Bin Laden and 4 others were killed

• Al Qaeda has vowed to continue attacks on the U.S.