The forgotten project: Afghanistan and its future
By Dat Cao
Mr. Cao is a former research intern with the Center for Security Policy and a student of international relations at Stanford University.
Afghanistan was the first country liberated by the United States in the War on Terror after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. The country ruled by the repressive Taliban regime was harboring and aiding al Qaeda terrorists who were responsible for carrying out the strike against the United States. After repeated calls for the Taliban to denounce terrorism were met with deaf ears, the United States and its allies launched an invasion of the country dubbed Operation Enduring Freedom on October 7, 2001 and drove the Taliban out of the capital of Kabul in little more than a month later on November 13th.
Since then, the United States has engaged in another liberation, that one on the country of Iraq ruled by an equally despicable tyrant, Saddam Hussein. This military operation has been more controversial and thus has received most of the attention of the world ever since. Iraq’s status is tracked daily by the media outlets throughout the world and its fate has been tied to politicians in countries half a world away. Meanwhile, Afghanistan is quietly struggling to rebuild itself after decades of warfare and strife.
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