From 2001 to 2021 the United States of America was in constant battle with Afghanistan. Up until August 30 of this year, the violence had seemed as if it would never cease. The war lasted for 19 years and 8 months, making it the longest war in American history, passing the Vietnam war by five months.
The fight began Sept. 11, 2001, when the terrorist group al-Qaeda organized a series of attacks on the “Twin Towers” of New York City. After the attacks, former President George W. Bush demanded the Taliban hand over the man in charge of the attacks, Osama bin Laden. He was denied. On Oct. 7, 2001, Bush announced airstrikes and military invasions targeting al-Qaeda and the Taliban, leaving most of the groups destroyed by the end.
By this time, the U. S had established a presence in Afghanistan while also creating a plan that over 40 countries approved. The goal? To bring new democratic authority to the country in hopes of keeping away the Taliban and al-Qaeda. However, it was short-lived as the Taliban took advantage of Afghanistan’s new weak government to regain control over the country. By 2007, the Taliban had retaken many large parts of the country back. Though the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) sent in more troops to regain democratic control. The most troops operating in the area at a time was 140,000 in 2011.
Bin Laden was killed on May 2, 2011, in Pakistan while the U. S. was under the Presidency of Barack Obama. Though, it was recognized that the terrorist groups were not going to be defeated by military means leading Afghanistan President, Ashraf Ghani, to attempt diplomacy by creating and having leaders sign a peace deal on Feb. 29, 2020. The plan required the U.S. troops to withdraw from the country in 14 months. The target date was later altered and pushed back by President Joe Biden until Aug. 31, 2021.
After the original deadline had passed, the Taliban quickly approached the country with violence and plans to once again capture Afghanistan. They successfully captured Kabul on Aug. 15, 2021, the same day President Ghani fled the country. The Taliban declared victory over the war as the last American plane departed from the country on Aug. 30, 2021.
Since the Taliban have begun to recapture Afghanistan, violence has once again swept the nation into a frenzy. The people panic to flee their own country in fear of another era of a terrorist regime. Many run to airports in hopes of escaping by hopping on any sort of plane. Videos of the citizens holding onto the wheels or wings of the planes in hopes of finding a way out have been released on social media. Some, falling to their deaths from aircrafts as they ascend. These videos in particular can be attributed to pictures taken of U.S. citizens jumping out of the twin towers 20 years ago because they looked for any possible way out. In a way, it inflicts a sense of deja vu.
Women in the country now fear for their lives, liberties, and freedoms. Those that have been fought for by women and soldiers. On Sep 8, 2021, a group of women confronted Taliban leaders who abolished the Ministry of Women’s affairs, after days of protests. The Taliban have claimed to uphold equal rights in accordance with Islamic Sharia Law, leading women to be confused why their ministry was removed. News reporters, Taqi Daryabi and Nematullah Naqdi, were on scene and requested to leave because the Taliban did not want the protests covered by the media. It was later reported by their colleague Kelsey Bloom, a member of “US Today’s” editorial board that they were taken and tortured by the Taliban along with others at the protest.
In another disheartening video, parents give their infant to an American soldier to watch after. The parents had hoped to keep their child safe while they attempted to flee to the airport. The family was then reunited and ushered onto a plane.
These are only a fraction of the horrors plaguing Afghanistan and its citizens now. The fears have not yet died, even though conversations of the country’s current state and America’s involvement have. Many ask that we fight again and help save the people we left to run scared. However, the U. S. has no more leverage in Afghanistan after withdrawing our troops. Therefore the options for helping the country have grown slim.