Kite Runner & the History of Afghanistan

  • Amir Born

    Amir was born.
  • Hassan Born

    Hassan was born
  • Hassan's Birthday

    Baba celebrates Hassan's birthday.He is given surgery to remove his cleft lip.
  • Hassan is Raped

    Assef brutally rapes Hassan causing the events of the rest of the story.
  • Amir's Birthday

    Amir is extremely guilty at his birthday which Baba throws for him. The party is huge and Amir feels it is blood money.
  • Ali and Hassan are kicked out.

    Amir frames Hassan for theft, causing Ali to leave.
  • Soviet Union Invades

    Afghanistan was relatively peaceful until,"The first Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul."(2), as stated in the New York Times.
  • Move to America

    The Russian invasion forces Baba and Amir to flee to Fremont, California.
  • Baba in the Grocery Store

    Baba angers store owners in Fremont due to his pride and is kicked out.
  • Amir Graduates High School

    At the age of twenty Amir graduates from high school in Fremont.
  • Amir Meets General Taheri

    Amir meets his future father-in-law, General Taheri, who was an important man in Afghanistan.
  • Russian Air Force Defeated by American Weapons.

    The Soviet Union was not having a successful war after nine years of failure and heavy losses.When the U.S. gave rebels Stinger missiles,"the Soviet Air Force was rendered largely useless.
  • Amir's Wedding

    Amir marries Soraya, General Taheri's daughter.
  • Russia Forced out of Afghanistan

    Russia couldn't stay in Afghanistan any longer so, "Soviet forces departed, Afghanistan descended into vicious strife."(2).
  • Taliban Take Control

    The Taliban rose to power and controlled Afghanistan with their ultra- conservative Islamic views on women, education, and overall daily life, "banning movies and music and forcinwomen out of schools and into all- enveloping burqa clothing." (3).
  • 9/11

    The taliban attacked America by suicide flying planes into the World Trade Center so the US,"Joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule."(3).
  • U.S. Invades Afghanistan

    After the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center the U.S. and the Northern Alliance launched a campaign that took the Taliban out of control and, "Remnants of Al Qaeda and Taliban leadership retreated to Tora Bora in the mountains along the Pakistan border."(3).
  • Amir goes to Afghanistan.

    Amir goes back to Kabul.
  • Amir meets Rahim Khan

    Amir meets Rahim Khan in Pakistan.
  • Amir is beaten

    Assef, now a Talib beats up Amir, but Amir gets Sohrab
  • Rahim Khan

    Rahim Khan dies in Pakistan
  • Amir takes Sohrab

    Amir takes Sohrab to America.
  • Karzai Elected

    Hamid Karzai, a relative of the exiled King Shah was was elected to a five year presidential term, "saying he hoped to secure peace for Afghanistan."(3).
  • Petraeus Takes Over

    General Petraeus, "had taken charge of United States Central Command in October 2008, with responsibility for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region.
  • Obama Decides to Leave

    Obama had vowed to withdrawal from Afghanistan in July 2011, but due to the lingering Al Qaeda and Taliban presence in the region,"The Obama administration changed its tone to emphasize the idea that the United States will have forces in the country until at least the end of 2014."(4).
  • Obama Announces Deployment

    Obama, "announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops."