Determining factors of the War
By Tomas Maxian
Have you ever stumbled upon the media presenting an event without explaining the full picture of the issue? Wars and conflicts are ordinarily sparked by a determining event that creates two sides to a given matter. Historical battles have generally had a singular source of conflict, but many wars have their roots set in years of rivalry. Numerous conflicts in Afghanistan have been kindled by the collision of different world views and religious beliefs. Harsh military judgment and the violent ruling with an iron fist have also triggered former wars. Often disastrous events are only recognized by the ultimate initiating factor, not the drawn out conflict. Despite 9/11 being the major determinant for the Afghanistan War, factors such as the 1998 U.S Embassy Bombings in East Africa and the following change in U.S. policy towards Afghanistan are also crucial roots of the war.
By Tomas Maxian
Have you ever stumbled upon the media presenting an event without explaining the full picture of the issue? Wars and conflicts are ordinarily sparked by a determining event that creates two sides to a given matter. Historical battles have generally had a singular source of conflict, but many wars have their roots set in years of rivalry. Numerous conflicts in Afghanistan have been kindled by the collision of different world views and religious beliefs. Harsh military judgment and the violent ruling with an iron fist have also triggered former wars. Often disastrous events are only recognized by the ultimate initiating factor, not the drawn out conflict. Despite 9/11 being the major determinant for the Afghanistan War, factors such as the 1998 U.S Embassy Bombings in East Africa and the following change in U.S. policy towards Afghanistan are also crucial roots of the war.
The international affairs between the United States of America and al-Qaeda, a global militant organization, have consisted of constant friction, disharmony, and warfare. Military conflict in East Africa did not contribute to settling the dispute, but instead made war inevitable. On August 7, 1998, Al Qaeda pursued in detonating a massive truck bomb outside the U.S. embassy in Nairobi Kenya. Unfortunately, this tragedy consisted of two phases. Minutes later, another truck bomb detonated outside the U.S. embassy in Dar Es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania. The results of this dual terrorist attack were appalling. The death of 224 people, including 12 Americans, and over 4,500 wounded outraged the United States Congress. In addition, the act contributed to the accusation of Osama bin Laden, a key figure in the international terrorism against America, of masterminding the bombing. This conflict agitated the U.S. and provided more evidence for the United States’ case against Al Qaeda. (U.S. Embassies)
Subsequently, former U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered a retaliatory military strike on Afghanistan, attempting to kill Osama bin Laden (U.S. Embassies). Approximately 70 American cruise missiles hit three purported bin Laden training camps, murdering two-dozen people (U.S. Embassies). However bin Laden was not present (U.S. Embassies). Furthermore, thirteen cruise missiles hit a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan, which the U.S. believed was a distribution center of chemical weapons for Al Qaeda (U.S. Embassies). Several unsuccessful operations were set up by the Central Intelligence Agency in order to locate and kill or capture Osama bin Laden (Coll).
After a chain of conflicts and attempts to find bin Laden, one of the most horrific moments in the history occurred (9/11). On September 11, 2001, three planes associated with Al Qaeda were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (9/11). The obliteration of the Twin Towers and the death of over 3,000 people horrified the lives of millions of people around the world (9/11). Remorse and agony spread quickly among the people of America (9/11). As a response, “the U.S. entered a state of armed conflict and became entitled to defend itself militarily (U.S. and Int'l.).” The 9/11 attacks were so clearly recognized as acts of war, that the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, The Organization of American states, Australia, and New Zealand all invoked the sovereign right to self-defense (U.S. and Int'l.). The United Nations responded with stating that a “terrorist attack on one country was an attack on all humanity” (U.S. and Int'l.). NATO contributed by invoking an article of the Washington Treaty, stating, “an armed attack against one or more NATO countries is an attack against all NATO countries” (U.S. and Int'l.). The United States Congress passed a Joint Resolution, stating that “The president is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United states by such nations, organizations, or persons (U.S. and Int'l.).”
In 2001, NATO and allies began to deploy troops throughout Afghanistan in effort to dismantle al-Qaeda and eliminate Taliban, a fundamentalist Islamic militia, from power (NATO). Presently, NATO forces currently comprise approximately 87,000 troops with the mission to “extend the authority of the Afghan central government in order to create an environment conducive to the functioning of democratic institutions and establishment of the rule of law (NATO).”
As stated previously, the present Afghanistan War’s roots do not only comprise of 9/11, but of the drawn out conflict between the United States and al-Qaeda. The U.S. Embassy bombings by al-Qaeda in East Africa negatively contributed to relations between the United States and the global militant Islamist organization (U.S. Embassies). The United States’ retaliatory attack on Afghanistan is also an essential part of the drawn out conflict against al-Qaeda (U.S. Embassies). The September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were the final criminal events humanity could withstand (9/11) before NATO and other organizations deployed troops in Afghanistan in order to limit and eliminate the power of terrorism (NATO). These events create a full picture of the issue and explain the drawn out conflict as determinants of the Afghanistan War.
Subsequently, former U.S. President Bill Clinton ordered a retaliatory military strike on Afghanistan, attempting to kill Osama bin Laden (U.S. Embassies). Approximately 70 American cruise missiles hit three purported bin Laden training camps, murdering two-dozen people (U.S. Embassies). However bin Laden was not present (U.S. Embassies). Furthermore, thirteen cruise missiles hit a pharmaceutical plant in Sudan, which the U.S. believed was a distribution center of chemical weapons for Al Qaeda (U.S. Embassies). Several unsuccessful operations were set up by the Central Intelligence Agency in order to locate and kill or capture Osama bin Laden (Coll).
After a chain of conflicts and attempts to find bin Laden, one of the most horrific moments in the history occurred (9/11). On September 11, 2001, three planes associated with Al Qaeda were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon (9/11). The obliteration of the Twin Towers and the death of over 3,000 people horrified the lives of millions of people around the world (9/11). Remorse and agony spread quickly among the people of America (9/11). As a response, “the U.S. entered a state of armed conflict and became entitled to defend itself militarily (U.S. and Int'l.).” The 9/11 attacks were so clearly recognized as acts of war, that the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, The Organization of American states, Australia, and New Zealand all invoked the sovereign right to self-defense (U.S. and Int'l.). The United Nations responded with stating that a “terrorist attack on one country was an attack on all humanity” (U.S. and Int'l.). NATO contributed by invoking an article of the Washington Treaty, stating, “an armed attack against one or more NATO countries is an attack against all NATO countries” (U.S. and Int'l.). The United States Congress passed a Joint Resolution, stating that “The president is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United states by such nations, organizations, or persons (U.S. and Int'l.).”
In 2001, NATO and allies began to deploy troops throughout Afghanistan in effort to dismantle al-Qaeda and eliminate Taliban, a fundamentalist Islamic militia, from power (NATO). Presently, NATO forces currently comprise approximately 87,000 troops with the mission to “extend the authority of the Afghan central government in order to create an environment conducive to the functioning of democratic institutions and establishment of the rule of law (NATO).”
As stated previously, the present Afghanistan War’s roots do not only comprise of 9/11, but of the drawn out conflict between the United States and al-Qaeda. The U.S. Embassy bombings by al-Qaeda in East Africa negatively contributed to relations between the United States and the global militant Islamist organization (U.S. Embassies). The United States’ retaliatory attack on Afghanistan is also an essential part of the drawn out conflict against al-Qaeda (U.S. Embassies). The September 11 attacks on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon were the final criminal events humanity could withstand (9/11) before NATO and other organizations deployed troops in Afghanistan in order to limit and eliminate the power of terrorism (NATO). These events create a full picture of the issue and explain the drawn out conflict as determinants of the Afghanistan War.