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Afghanistan:
Rise of Islamic Fundamentalism
Graphic Organizer Categories
•Whatever is not covered in the PowerPoint Lecture will be covered by either:•History Channel or National Geographic Channel Taliban Documentary
•Photocopied Supplemental Reading on Afghanistan Today from BBC
Cold War and War with Soviet Union
Afghanistan and the Cold War-The Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979 in order to support the Communist Party’s push for power in the Country.
-The opposing side was an Islamic Fundamentalist, Osama Bin Laden being one of them, group that was supported by the United States and Western Allies.
-In 1989, the Soviet finally withdrew from Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: History
•The Soviet Union sent troops to Afghanistan to help the communist government there in a civil war.
Russian Invasion• Then the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan to set up a pro-Moscow government.• For the next 9 years, a civil war broke out with different tribes of Afghanistan against
and with the Soviet forces.• The Soviets pulled out in 1989, but they left a pro-Moscow government who fell with
the Soviet Union in 1992.• Over 1 million Afghans were killed. 5 million Afghans fled to Pakistan and Iran.• Another 2 million Afghans were displaced within the country.
• In the 1980s, one out of two refugees in the world was an Afghan
• Vital parts of the Afghan economy were destroyed including Irrigations systems to provide water for farming
Afghanistan: History
• This led to a long war between Soviet troops and Afghan rebels (Mujahedeen).
• The United States was supporting the Afghan rebels.
• In 1989, an alliance of Afghan rebel groups took power and the Soviet troops left.
Late 1970s-2004
• In 1979, Afghanistan was invaded and eventually controlled by the Soviet Union.
• In 1989, Afghanistan and the Soviet Union signed a peace agreement.
• In 1995, the Taliban, promising traditional, Islamic values came into power, imposing strict Islamic law, including revoking many women’s rights.
• In 2001, American troops force the Taliban from power.• In 2004, Hamid Karzai became the first elected Afghan
president.
Taliban Rule
Who is the Taliban?
• Gained strength in 1995• Formed by Sunni Muslim Pashtun students, intellectuals and disaffected
Mujaheddin (holy warriors)• Trained in Pakistan • fundamentalists, committed to ‘Sharia Law’ (the traditional Islamic law
and moral code that prescribes how Muslims should best conduct their lives).
Taliban brought order and fundamental Islam at a price!
• The Taliban imposed their harsh brand of Islamic law in the 90 percent of Afghanistan under their control.
• The Taliban say their version of Islam is a pure one that follows a literal interpretation of the Muslim holy book, The Koran.
• Under Taliban laws, murderers were publicly executed by the relatives of their victims.
• Adulterers are stoned to death and the limbs of thieves were amputated.
• Lesser crimes were punished by public beatings.
11
Afghanistan
• Taliban came to power in most Afghanistan by 1996.
• Osama bin Laden moved his terrorist activities there.
• Used mountain hideouts as a base of operations for his terrorist network called al-Qaeda.
Map of Afghanistan in 1996 showing the amount of Taliban territory captured at that time (yellow). The Afghan Civil War commenced between 1996-2001 before coalition forces headed by the United States began air strikes against the Taliban.
The Taliban (Talib is Arabic for ‘Islamic student’)
• Under the Taliban’s rule, human rights and civil liberties were slowly peeled away.
• The Taliban instituted cruel and inhumane treatment of those who opposed them in order to solidify their power over Afghanistan’s citizens.
The TalibanPrior to 2001, the Taliban, led by Mullah Mohammad Omar, ruled Afghanistan under Islamic law.
During this time, women had virtually no rights and received no education.
Watching television and listening to music were forbidden, as were playing games and sports.
The United States entered Afghanistan in October 2001 and replaced the Taliban with an elected president.
While the Taliban lost some power and the people regained some rights, the Taliban has not gone away.
Instead, it has worked to regain power by promising to help Afghanistan’s poorest people and aligning itself with warlords, al-Qaida, and other militant groups to gain financial support and recruit new fighters.
Taliban Leader Mullah Mohammad Omar
Taliban Abuses of Power
Rules for Everyone• No television. • No music. • No movies • No picnics• No wedding parties • No New Year celebrations• No kind of mixed-sex gathering• No children's toys, including dolls and kites• No card and board games• No cameras• No photographs and paintings of people and animals• No pet parakeets• No cigarettes and alcohol• No magazines and newspapers, and most books. • They even forbade applause -- a moot point, since there was nothing left to applaud. • The only books available must be approved by the Taliban. • Enemies of the Taliban are put in jail. • Protesting is not permitted. • All windows must be painted black so that no-one is able to see inside.
Taliban Draws World Attention
In 2001, blew up ancient Buddhist statues (1,500 years old) near city of Bamiyan
Allowed al-Qaeda & Osama bin Laden to operate within the country
To give one an idea of scale, note the two individuals sitting here.http://www.usatoday.com/news/science/archaeology/2001-03-22-afghan-buddhas.htm
September 11 and Al Qaeda
Afghanistan: History
• The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were traced to Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network based in Afghanistan.
On your Left Side:• What do your remember of Sept 11, 2001?• Where were you?
Al-Qaeda Defined
A very complex
organization that has been in existence since the late 1980’s
Commits acts of violence aimed at America and Western Allies.
Al-Qaeda training camp
1989-95 Birth and Development• Al-Qaeda starts in the aftermath of Soviet invasion 1987• By 1989 begins to target America• Recruits from across the globe including America• No solid base (Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq) • 1991-1996 primarily based in Sudan• Much soldier training and a system of Hierarchy stabilized (Bin Laden,
Deputy, 5 committees)
Conflict with bin Laden Escalates
• Offers to raise a mujahidin army to defend Saudi Arabia from a potential invasion from Iraq in 1990
• Saudi Arabia declines his offer opting instead to accept the assistance of the U.S. and allow American troops (including women soldiers) in Saudi Arabia
• Moves to Sudan by invitation of the Sudanese government in 1991
• Supports several small to medium attacks against Western interests
• Moves to Afghanistan in 1996 by invitation of the Taliban• Cruise missiles fired at al-Qaeda training camp in Afghanistan
to kill bin Laden in 1998
Al-Qaeda’s Strategy
• Soldiers operate in fast moving light forces. Work in complete secrecy to complete complex strategic strikes.
• Avoids engagement in conventional fighting (forces are not strong enough)
• Spreads rumors, fear and discouragement among enemy forces• Relies on a force of over 20,000 professionally trained soldiers
throughout the world. • The organization’s strengths are its’ secrecy extensive influence and
planning.
Al Qaeda - Formed in 1988• A. Attacks: • 1. World Trade Center – 1993• 2. Tanzanian and Kenyan US
Embassies – 1998• 3. USS Cole – 2000• 4. World Trade Center 2001• 5. Kenyan Hotel -2002• 6. Bali nightclub – 2002• 7. Many attacks in Saudi
Arabia – 2001-2004• 8. Istanbul synagogue and
HSBC bank – 2004
• B. Goals: • 1. to unite Muslims to fight
against the U.S. as a way of defeating Israel
• 2. overthrowing non-Islamic regimes
• 3. expelling westerners and non-Muslims from Muslim countries
• 4. merged with Egyptian Islamic Jihad in 2001
• 5. merged with al-Zarqawi’s group -2004
Al Qaeda (cont.)
• C. Individuals:• 1. Usama bin Laden• 2. Abu Mus’ab al-Zarqawi• 3. Ayman al-Zawahiri
• D. Financing;• 1. personal wealth - Usama• 2. fund raising –false Muslim
and humanitarian charities
• 3. wealthy Arab sheiks (Saudi Arabia)
• 4. individuals and businesses • 5. the heroin trade
International Front for Jihad against the Jews and Crusaders
“The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies─civilians and military─is an individual duty for every Muslim who can do it in any country in which it is possible to do it. ”
Fatwa issued by Osama bin Laden & Ayman al-Zawahiri on 23 February 1998
Africa• Al-Qaeda cells operate in
African countries as well.• 1998 bombings occurred at the
U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania leaving 200 dead and more than 5,000 people injured.
• The U.S. responded with missile strikes against terrorist facilities in Afghanistan and Sudan. Bin Laden was based in Sudan from 1991-1996.
Predator drones used to attack terrorist bases in Sudan and Afghanistan.
Osama Bin Laden
• "I am not afraid of death. I came here to die. Some of my supporters followed me here just to die for the cause of Islam. They are ready to defend me and to kill anyone who thinks of attacking our positions or sites." Osama Bin Laden
31
Al Qaeda
• The U.S. government charges that Osama bin Laden heads an international terrorist network called "Al Qaeda," an Arabic word meaning 'the base.'
33
The link between September 11 and Afghanistan• Afghans did not carry out the terrorist
attacks on the U.S. Al-Qaeda, a terrorist network operating within Afghanistan and other places, did.
• Many Afghans expressed their solidarity with the people of the U.S. after Sept. 11.
• After September 11, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban for sheltering Osama bin Laden.
• U.S. and NATO forces remain in Afghanistan today.
http://www.indiadaily.org/images/9_11_attack.jpg
Al-Qaeda•Claims responsibility for attack on USA
•Taliban lets Al-Qaeda hide out in their county because they are allies.
Why did these people want to attack America?
According to Bin Laden, he is concerned with•American foreign policy towards, and American actions in, the Muslim world
•US support for Israel in its ongoing theft of Arab land•US support for corrupt and repressive regimes in the Muslim world (Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states).
•Post 9/11, the US has added to an already long list of Muslim grievances by occupying Afghanistan and Iraq.
Why did these people want to attack America?
According to Bin Laden, he has never said that the attacks were, are, or will be because of American freedoms, the rights of our citizens, or even because of our religious differences.
He has said that the reasons for the attacks of the past as well as those of the future will be because of the way the US and its allies treat the Muslim World.
Attack on the United States
• The Destruction:• Fuel—The flights were near their start, therefore the tanks were full.
Explosions and fires weakened the skyscrapers, and both towers fell within two hours.
• Pentagon damage confined to only one section of the building.• Human Death Toll: about 3,000
• All passengers• WTC workers/visitors• 340 NYC firefighters• 60 NYC police officers
American Airlines Flight 11
• Scheduled route: Boston to LA• Aircraft: Boeing 767• Building Hit: North Tower
(WTC 1) at 8:46 AM.• 92 on board
The hijackers
United Airlines Flight 175
• Scheduled route: Boston to LA• Aircraft: Boeing 767• Building Hit: South Tower
(WTC 2) at 9:03 AM.• 65 on board
The hijackers
United Airlines Flight 175 crashes into the south tower
Map showing the attacks on the World Trade Center (the planes are not drawn to scale).
Diagram of how parts of the airplanes fell to the ground.
American Airlines Flight 77
• Route: Washington, D.C. (Dulles) to L.A.
• Aircraft: Boeing 757• Building Hit: Pentagon, Arlington,
VA• 58 on board
The hijackers
Aerial view of the Pentagon during rescue operations post-September 11 attack
United Airlines Flight 93: “Let’s Roll”
• Scheduled Route: Newark, NJ to San Francisco
• Aircraft: Boeing 575• Terrorists Target: Speculated to be
Washington, D.C.• Crash Site: Somerset County, PA• 44 on board• The passengers revolted against the
hijackers, and the aircraft crashed before reaching its intended target.
The hijackers
2002-03 Regroup and Privatize
• The full-scale war brought by America was expected• Al-Qaeda groups become almost separate working loosely
with mother Al-Qaeda (Southeast Asia, North America, Europe, Iraq, North Africa and East Africa)
• Aside from war in Iraq since 2002 groups have made attacks on the US and seven of our allies. (18 major attacks in 11 countries)
• Each Al-Qaeda group is strengthened by perceived injustices to that country (i.e. radical Egyptians in North Africa)
The Iraq Connection
• Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is believed to have formed Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in Afghanistan during the 1980s
• May have received some funds from al-Qaeda but operated independently• Original objective was to overthrow the Jordanian government and establish an Islamic
state
• Expanded urban guerilla warfare in Iraq to include terrorist tactics also targeting Iraqis
• Officially merged with al-Qaeda 21 October 2004 (finally providing an al-Qaeda connection to Iraq)
2001 Anthrax Attacks• 5 deaths (including 2 postal workers)• 17 infections• Suspected perpetrator: Bruce Edward Irvins (died July 29,
2008 of suicide after he was informed he would be prosecuted for murder), a microbiologist and vaccinologist who was supposed to develop vaccines against anthrax.
• However, many people doubt the government’s conclusions about Irvins. Some coworkers said they would have noticed him develop the anthrax that was used.
• One historian believes the anthrax Irvins developed was stolen by an al-Qaida sympathizer at George Mason University because of lax security.
• We will probably never know.• The cost of the cleanup to decontaminate buildings where
anthrax was found was about $1 billion.
A letter sent to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle containing anthrax powder killed two postal workers
Targets: ABC NewsCBS NewsNBC NewsNew York PostNational EnquirerSenatorsTom DaschlePatrick Leahy
Aviation Security
• FAA orders airlines to install bars on cockpit doors• Plain clothed sky marshals assigned to fly on planes• National Guard patrolled airports• Aviation and Transportation Act (2001)—airport security became the
responsibility of the federal government. ALL baggage (even checked baggage) is screened.
Afghanistan: Terrain causes Political Problems
• Why can’t we find Osama bin Laden or at least win and end the current war in Afghanistan?
• The rugged terrain makes it difficult to organize, fight, and rule people.
Hiding Out
• Osama bin Laden evaded capture for almost 10 years.• In the mean time the United States had engaged in wars in Iraq
(looking for weapons of mass destruction) and in Afghanistan (against the Taliban who supported terrorism).
• bin Laden was suspected of hiding out in the mountainous regions of Afghanistan.
United States Invasion
The Taliban’s primary opposition was called the Northern Alliance, and by 2001, the Northern Alliance had been pushed back to only 10% of Afghanistan to the north.
Then, as we all know, the events of September 11th, 2001.
The United States knew that Osama Bin Laden was in Afghanistan, and that we were going to go in there and get him.
• In October of 2001, the United States invaded, and in a short time, by December of 2001, swept through and took control of the major cities and pushed the Taliban and Al Qaeda to the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, and we helped to establish a new government that is in place today.
Seeking Bin Laden – Tora Bora
59
Attacking Tora Bora
60
Tracking Bin Laden: 1
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed• Early on the CIA sought to identify
al-Qaeda couriers (messengers who pass information) who might have contact with bin Laden.
• Detainees in the CIA’s secret prison system revealed the name of an al-Qaeda courier with the pseudonym Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti.
• When No. 3 al-Qaeda leader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was captured by the CIA he admitted knowing al-Kuwaiti, but said he was not operating in al-Qaeda. The CIA believed he was protecting the courier.
Tracking Bin Laden: 2
• In 2004, a top operative for al-Qaeda was captured in Iraq named Hassan Ghul.
• Ghul revealed to the CIA that al-Kuwaiti was indeed a key courier in the al-Qaida organization close to operational commander Faraj al-Libi.
• In May 2005 Faraj al-Libi was captured by the CIA, but he adamantly denied that al-Kuwaiti was the secret courier.
• This convinced the CIA that he, as well as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was protecting the identity of the courier.
Tracking Bin Laden: 3• After years, detainees revealed the real name of the courier al-Kuwaiti
as Sheikh Abu Ahmed, a Pakistani born in Kuwait.• One detainee gave false information that Abu Ahmed was wounded
fleeing U.S. forces and died in his arms.• But in the middle of 2010 Abu Ahmed used the telephone and his
conversation was monitored by U.S. officials.• In August 2010 Abu Ahmed was tracked to the mysterious compound
in Abbottabad. • It had unusually high walls.• No one came or went. • There was no telephone or internet. U.S. authorities became
convinced that a high level terrorist was living there.
CIA aerial view of the bin Laden compound
Kal's Cartoonshttp://www.kaltoons.com/wordpress/2009/12/kal-economist-afghanistan-cartoons/
Kal's Cartoonshttp://www.kaltoons.com/wordpress/2009/12/kal-economist-afghanistan-cartoons/
On your Left Side:
•After watching the DVD and this lecture, what do you think is the best way for Afghanistan to get back on its feet?
•Explain.
