OverviewUnderstand the events and timeline of the U.S. involvement

in Afghanistan following the September 11th attacksUnderstand the changing nature of military aviation as

evidenced in the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan

U.S. War in Afghanistan

Timeline: 2001

Sept 18: President Bush signs resolution for the use of force against those responsible for 9/11

Oct 7:U.S. Airstrikes begin against Taliban forces. Ground forces follow 12 days later

Nov: Taliban retreat from Kabul into countryside supported by tribal warlords

Dec 5: Hamid Karzai is named interim leader of UN backed Afghanistan government

Dec: Battle of Tora Bora Begins

U.S. War in Afghanistan: Tora Bora: Dec 2001• U.S. airstrikes pound a series of cave complexes housing Al Qaeda and Taliban forces. U.S. airstrikes are supporting Afghan militia fighters on the ground. Less than 100 American commandos are on the scene• Concerned that too many U.S. troops in Afghanistan would create an anti-American backlash and fuel a widespread insurgency the US SECDEF rejects a call for U.S. ground reinforcements to launch an assault on the cave complex or to block the mountain paths leading to sanctuary a few miles away in Pakistan.• Rumsfeld relied on airstrikes and untrained Afghan militias to conduct the operation• On or around December 16, bin Laden walks unmolested out of Tora Bora disappearing into Pakistan’s unregulated tribal area.

U.S. War in Afghanistan

Timeline: 2002-2004

Mar: U.S. launches Operation Anaconda engaging Taliban forces in Paktia province. Pentagon signals shift in resources to Iraq

Jun: Hamid Karzai is confirmed as President of Afghanistan

Nov: U.S. Provisional Reconstruction Teams (PRT) begin work in Afghanistan

Aug 2003: NATO assumes primary responsibility for Afghan security

Jan-Oct 2004: New Afghan constitution is ratified and Karzai wins election

U.S. War in Afghanistan

Timeline: 2005-2009

May 05: President Bush and Karzai declare a new strategic partnership. U.S. begins to train local Afghan security units

Sep 05: 6 Million Afghans vote in election

Jul-Nov: Violence surges in south. NATO tensions mount as member countries debate pulling back commitment

May 07- Aug 08: Key Taliban leaders killed, but U.S. collateral damage to civilians increase as guerilla tactics change

Feb 09: Obama agrees to send 17,000 troops to Afghanistan

Afghan: Ground Experience: 2008

Afghan: Ground Experience: 2008

U.S. War in Afghanistan

Timeline: 2009-2011

Jul 09: The U.S. launches series of offensive in south to quell Taliban insurgency

Aug-Nov 09: Karzai wins reelection. However the election is marred by allegations of fraud

Jan – Feb 10: Violence in Kabul rises. U.S./NATO launches “Op Moshtarak” on last Taliban stronghold. Top Taliban Commander (Baradar) is captured

Apr 10: Karzai claims UN/EU is rigging Afghan election. Relationship with U.S. under strain

Jul 10: Deadliest month for U.S. troops. Taliban digging in o last few areas

U.S. War in Afghanistan

Timeline: 2011 – 2014?

On 1 May 2011, al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is killed in Pakistan during a U.S. Special Operations strike

Jun 11: President Obama announces U.S. withdrawal strategy. Troops are currently scheduled to start in July 12, with the last troops leaving in 2014

Jan 12 - Pres: Series of U.S. troop activities (Koran burning, Panjwai shooting , etc.) have stained U.S. relations with Afghan populace.

$Cost of War (2001-2011) $468Billon

U.S. to complete withdrawal: 2014

Afghanistan: Changing Airpower

Predator and Reaper UAVs