Afghanistan Unit Objective To understand the history of

Afghanistan

Unit Objective • To understand the history of conflict in modern Afghanistan and the role of the Taliban

Post-WWII • After WWII Afghanistan, a monarchy, remained independent of the Soviet Union but several reforms aimed at forming a more democratic government failed • 1950’s: Soviet influence began to increase • 1973: Communists overthrew the government

Soviet invasion in 1979 • Why? THERE WAS AN ANTI-COMMUNIST REBELLION -Mujahideen: GROUP THAT FOUGHT AGAINST COMMUNISM • Soviet expectations of the invasion: IT WOULD BE QUICK AND EASY

• What really happened? BECAME LONG WAR SOVIETS FAILED TO WIN (MUCH LIKE AMERICA’S VIETNAM WAR) • U. S. role: SUPPORTED AFGHANISTAN WITH MONEY, WEAPONS, AND SUPPLIES—NO TROOPS • Soviets pulled out in the late 1980 s, so did America

• Impact: Chaos—No one stayed to help rebuild (led to hard feelings against America) and regional warlords fought for control

• Osama bin Laden: FORMER ALLY OF THE U. S. IN FIGHT AGAINST SOVIETS TURNED AGAINST AMERICA AFTER AMERICA “ABANDONED” AFGHANISTAN

Taliban: ISLAMIC GROUP THAT EVENTUALLY TOOK OVER VERY STRICT MUSLIMS (ESP. TOWARD WOMEN) ALLOWED AL-QAEDA TO OPERATE TERRORIST CAMPS

September 11, 2001: Al-Qaeda terrorists led by Osama Bin Laden attacked the U. S. (WTC, Pentagon)

America attacks Afghanistan • Al-Qaeda, based in camps in Afghanistan, was quickly identified as the group responsible for 9/11 • U. S. President George W. Bush demanded Afghanistan turn over Al-Qaeda or allow U. S. troops to apprehend them • Afghanistan refused leading to U. S. invasion of Afghanistan

• Impact: TALIBAN REMOVED FROM POWER U. S. TROOPS WENT AFTER AL-QAEDA U. S. ESTABLISHED DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT U. S. TROOPS STILL THERE AS THE TALIBAN HAS RE -EMERGED

What happened in Afghanistan in 1973? A. Communists took over the country B. The Communist government was overthrown C. The Soviets invaded D. The Soviets gave up trying to take over Afghanistan and left the country

Why did the Soviet Union invade Afghanistan? A. The Soviets wanted to overthrow the pro. American government B. The Soviets wanted to stop a revolution against the Communist government that was ruling Afghanistan C. The Soviets wanted to make Afghanistan a colony of the Soviet Union

Who were the Mujahideen? A. They supported Communism in Afghanistan B. They fought against Communism C. It was the government that supported the group behind the 9/11 terrorist attacks and were removed from power by the U. S. D. They were the terrorists behind the 9/11 attacks

Why did the U. S. invade Afghanistan in 2001? A. The Americans wanted to help the Afghans rebel against Communism B. The Americans wanted to free the Afghans from Soviet rule C. The Americans wanted to strike back at the terrorists who were responsible for 9/11 D. The Americans wanted to remove the Taliban from power because they supported Al Qaeda