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Afghanistan timelineAfter the establishment of diplomatic relations, the US policy of helping developing nations raise their standard of living was an important factor in maintaining and improving US ties with Afghanistan.
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Afghanistan with AmericaThe United States established its first official Kabul Legation this was later changed to the Kabul Embassy.
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During the Cold War, the U.S. extended an economic assistance program focused on the development of Afghanistan's physical infrastructure which included roads, dams, and power plants for it strategic purposes to counter the spread of communism.
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In February 1979, U.S. Ambassador Adolph "Spike" Dubs was murdered in Kabul after Afghan security forces burst in on his kidnappers. The U.S. then reduced bilateral assistance and terminated a small military training program.
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Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, the United States supported diplomatic efforts to achieve a Soviet withdrawal. In addition, generous U.S. contributions to the refugee program in Pakistan played a major part in efforts to assist Afghan refugees.
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The Cold WarDuring the period of Soviet occupation of Afghanistan from 1979-1989, the U.S. provided about 3 billion US dollars in military and economic assistance to the Mujahideen groups stationed on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line.
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September 11, the 9-11 attacks, the United States, believed to be orchestrated by Osama bin Laden who was residing in Afghanistan under asylum at the time, the U.S.-led Operation Enduring Freedom was launched. This major military operation was aimed at removing the Taliban government from power and to capture or kill al Qaeda members, including Osama bin Laden.
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In December speech at West Point, President Barack Obama laid down the core of U.S. goals in Afghanistan: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and its safe havens in Pakistan, and to prevent their return to Afghanistan.
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In June, President Obama announced that the United States would remove 10,000 of its troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2011 and a total of 33,000 troops by the summer of 2012, fully recovering a surge in personnel that he had announced at West Point.
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The U.S. supported the new government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai by maintaining a high level of troops to establish the authority of his government as well as combat Taliban insurgency.
