American History

Why are We Here
The ongoing war in Afghanistan, dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom, in military circles, is waged by the United States and its allies against Al-Qaeda and their Taliban allies in response to the terrorist attacks on American soil on September 11, 2001.  Like the last two world wars, America has once again responded to an attack against its people by forces who wish ill for it.  In justifying the reason for being there, one needs to remember what President George W. Bush said in his speech in a joint session of Congresss on September 20, 2001, nine days following the terrorist attacks.  He has identified who attacked the United States

Americans have many questions tonight. Americans are asking, Who attacked our country The evidence we have gathered all points to a collection of loosely affiliated terrorist organizations known as al Qaeda....Al Qaeda is to terror what the Mafia is to crime...its goal is remaking the world and imposing its radical beliefs on people everywhere...The terrorists directive commands them to kill Christians and Jews, to kill all Americans and make no distinctions among military and civilians, including women and children.

After identifying the perpetrators of the attack, President Bush set the tone for providing justification on why this attack happened
Americans are asking Why do they hate us They hate our freedoms our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other...These terrorists kill not merely to end lives, but to disrupt and end a way of life. With every atrocity, they hope that America grows fearful, retreating from the world and forsaking our friends. They stand against us because we stand in their way.

What President Bush was pointing out was that terrorism was the new threat the world is currently facing to this day.  What makes it more dangerous and difficult is that the enemies are non-state actors.  They do not represent a particular nation yet can live anywhere in the world, whether invited by nations like Afghanistan, or illegally like in Pakistan where they are based in its most remote and harshest regions where the government cannot touch them.  Bush also made mention of the Taliban in his address.  Afghanistan back then was ruled by the Taliban who imposed their very orthodox, if not extremist brand of Islam and is recognized by Al-Qaeda as their friend and in return for this acknowledgment, provded the latter with a  home  as Afghanistan also serves as one of the training grounds for terrorist groups around the world.  It was in this regard that Bush demanded that the Taliban leaders in Afghanistan cooperate by handing over the perpetrators and their sponsors to their justice.  When they refused, this provided the impetus for taking military action in Afghanistan which took place a month later.

On my orders, the United States military has begun strikes against al Qaeda terrorist training camps and military installations of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. These carefully targeted actions are designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime.

But the war in Afghanistan is not a purely military operation.    President Bush also stated the humanitarian side of Operation Enduring Freedom as well

At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, well also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan. The United States of America is a friend to the Afghan people, and we are the friends of almost a billion worldwide who practice the Islamic faith. The United States of America is an enemy of those who aid terrorists and of the barbaric criminals who profane a great religion by committing murder in its name.

In prosecuting this war, the United States, as well as its allies, have made it clear that this is a war on terrorism, not against Islam.  With the ascension of Barack Obama to the White House, he has given this campaign a sounder moral direction as a way for America to set things right with the world after centuries of mistrust and resentment towards it after nearly two centuries of  imperialism.   This combined military and humanitarian operation in Afghanistan seeks to show the world that America has resolved to set things right, and that it is determined to win this rather unusual war like previous wars in the past.

What are the outcomes of the war bring so long
When President Bush committed America to war, he did not promise it would be a quick and decisive one like previoius wars America has fought in the past

 Now, this war will not be like the war against Iraq a decade ago, with a decisive liberation of territory and a swift conclusion. It will not look like the air war above Kosovo two years ago, where no ground troops were used and not a single American was lost in combat. Our response involves far more than instant retaliation and isolated strikes. Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign unlike any other we have ever seen. It may include dramatic strikes visible on TV and covert operations secret even in success.

From these lines, it can be inferred that the war on terrorism will be a long protracted battle that will not be decided instantly.  No one knows exactly when it will end as the United States, through the directive of its leaders, are committed in seeing this war through to the end with only one outcome   the defeat of terrorism.  Fiscally, the war in Afghanistan has started with an expense of roughly 600 million when it began.  After nine years of fighting, the cost has now reached over 800 million.  In terms of lives lost, over 1,800 American lives, along with their coalition allies, were lost both to accidents and enemy action, especially recently.

Despite the cost in money and lives, President Bush made it clear by not promising easy victories which is for this reason he urged the American people to be patient and persevere like never before since the Second World War.  The reason for this is this is a different enemy and one way to win over it is not to give up or waver.  This is a war America cannot afford to lose as the survival of the nation is at stake.  The grievances of the enemy is something that cannot be easily satisfied through any means.  The enemy is very committed, highly motivated by their religion, and are bent on seeing to the destruction of the United States and everything it stands for, because they regard it as evil and they believe they are on a crusade to rid the world of this evil.  Therefore, quitting, not failing, is not an option for the American people, not as long as there are forces that want to see them destroyed.  It is therefore essential that they take action.  Although, military action does not guarantee total eradication of terrorism, it should send a clear message that America is not weak nor will it let terrorism get away with murdering and striking fear into the hearts of the innocents.

What will be the outcome when we finally leave
When Barack Obama assumed the presidency, he redirected the war efforts to Afghanistan as he wanted American forces to withdraw from Iraq.  He believed this is where the war should be fought, hence the need to direct all resources here.  Unlike Iraq, Afghanistan could not be abandoned or left the way it is unless it is fully rehabilitated.  To leave sooner would leave the country vulnerable to renewed attacks by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda and revert the country back to what it was before the war began.  One of the challenges America and its allies face in this troubled region is to bring about stability.  What makes it daunting is that Afghanistan is a very diverse society made up of various ethnic groups and tribal clans who are fiercely independent of one another and have never been subjugated by a single ruler.  This is the challenge facing the coalition even after it has driven the Taliban from power   to make Afghanistan a stable nation while working around its unique and unusual society.  It is quite a daunting task, yet something that needs to be done.  In this regard failure is not an option to the coalition forces.

Looking at it from a much bigger picture, so as long as there is terrorism, the world will not be safe or be at real peace.  It is therefore necessary for nations to put up security measures and implement the necessary policies to ensure the safety of its people.  Realistically, terrorism cannot be totally eradicated.  However, it can be curbed effectively if the correct strategies are applied.  As stated earlier, military force is only part of the solution but this alone will not address terrorism.  There is the need to address the root cause of terrorism which is the marginalization and neglect of the affected people, particularly those of the Middle East who have to endure poverty and the other problems it has spawned such as illiteracy or lack of education and unemployment.  Their conditions make the people ripe for the likes of Al-Qaeda and other affiliated groupd to recruit them and turn them into terrorists and conveniently blame the west for all their ills.  If the developed nations can address these problems, very likely through economic aid, they have just won part of the battle against terrorism.  The military portion should be reserved for the extremists or radicals whose grievances cannot be addressed by economic aid since the only thing that will satisfy them is the downfall of the west.

If the United States, in particular, can do this, it would have reestablished itself as a great power in the world, as well as reaffirm its image as the bringer of stability in the world, apart from being the liberator of the oppressed and conqueror of tyranny wherever it may be found in the world.  Despite the cost in money and lives, the war on terror is a just one though nobody wants a war, this is a war that must be fought because the survival of civilization depends on it as their enemy is not merely content in defeating the west, but also in wanting to impose its ways around the world.  This extremism is the real enemy and needs to be defeated if real peace and stability is to be achieved, not only in Afghanistan, but for the rest of the world.