rebels, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in a combined Soviet-Afghan attack. The result was deceptive. For, it seemed like an initial Soviet victory, however, the Afghan Muslim warriors called the Mujahideen took up arms and, in a seemingly futile task, managed to come out victorious and remove the Soviet’s, and their influence, from Afghanistan7. Osama bin Laden was among the thousands of people who fought against the Russians. With the Americans and now the Soviets gone, the country fell into a state of anarchy, with no single government. Local tribal warlords fought each other for control, depleting the country of its resources and terrorizing its own people.

This state of anarchy lasted for a couple years until the infamous leader of the Taliban, Osama bin Laden came to power and launched a war against the “West”. In August of 1996, bin Laden issued a “Declaration of War” on America for its support of Israel and its use of air bases in Saudi Arabia8. A few months later, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Osama bin Laden colluded and finalized a plan to attack the United States using suicide bombers and planes9. This was the start of the 9/11 attacks. Months later, on September 11, 2001, the world was shocked by the deadliest terrorist attack in history. On September 20, 2001, President Bush addressed the United States Congress, declaring a “War on Terror” and warned that this war would start with Al-Qaeda but would not end there10. This was the start of major military campaigns – first against Afghanistan and then, against Iraq. Bush kicked off the campaign by attacking the Taliban in Afghanistan for hiding Osama bin Laden.

Over a decade and a half after the 9/11 attacks, after multiple state leaders, and exorbitant expenditure of taxpayer funds, the United States has not been successful in the war with Afghanistan. A headline from the Journal of Foreign Policy reads, “one year after President Donald Trump announced a new strategy for winning the war in Afghanistan, the United States appears to be no closer to stabilizing the country…”11. In fact, it is commonly believed that, “The Trump administration is now using Henry Kissinger’s “decent interval” process of abandonment to end the U.S. war in Afghanistan.”12. Trump’s strategy to pull out of Afghanistan is simple; come to a peace agreement and withdraw. This would include the removal of both troops and foreign aid.

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