1. The War in Afghanistan

2. By the mid 1990’s the extremist Taliban controlled most of Afghanistan, they allowed al Qaeda to live there

3. 9/11 attacks planned in Afghanistan

4. Global War on Terror • US and NATO allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 • “Operation Enduring Freedom”

6. Cities and towns taken over in 1 month

7. Rural border with Pakistan cleared in 3 months

8. Why is it so difficult to fight the war in Afghanistan?

9. 1. The Taliban and al Qaeda re-grouped in Pakistan

10. 2. Afghanistan is remote, mountainous, treacherous – it is hard to move soldiers and supplies

11. 3. Access to Afghanistan is difficult

12. 4. Much of the fighting is done in remote, mountainous regions that the Taliban know better than the US

13. 5. Al Qaeda fighters are devoted to their cause

14. 6. Huge cultural divide between the US and Afghanistan

15. 7. No experience with democracy

16. 8. Afghanistan is a very underdeveloped country

17. 9. Hard to tell if people are friends or foes

18. 10. Poppies – used to make heroin, are a major crop. Create violence and addiction problems

19. Looking Forward

20. Build schools, roads and other services Afghanistan needs

21. Train the Afghan military

22. Pull Western troops out of Afghanistan