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Soviet Union invades Afghanistan
Soviet troops parachuted into Kabul to help Barak Karmal who became president through a coup within the Afghan Communist leadership. -
Soviet Airforce
After 1986 the Soviet Airforce was also rendered largely useless by advanced Stinger antiaricraft missiles supplied by the United States to the rebels. -
Soviet Troops Flee
After peace talks moderated by the United Nations, the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in Frebruary 1989, in what was in effect a unilateral withdrawal. They left behind a country that was not only devestated by the war but that had become a beacon to Islamic extremists from around the world who came to help fight. -
Mullah Omar
By the end of 1994 Mullah Omar had nearly 12,000 followers and was roling up the warlords to the north and east. With his promise of restoring the centrality of Islam to daily life, he created a gnuinely popular movement in a country weary of corruption and brutality. As early as 1994, Pakistani intellegence officers began funneling arms, money and supplies to Omar's men, as well as military advisers to help guide them in battle. -
Taliban
Buoyed by Pakistani aid, the Taliban by 1996 had taken control of Afghanistan, imposing strict enforcement of fundamentalist Islamic law, banning movies and music and forcing women out of schools and into all-enveloping burqa clothing. Women objectification.
They provided a haven for bin Laden and Al Qaeda. They say that Al Queada helped persuade Omar to order destruction of 800-year old statues of Buddah an act condemned around the world. Critisism of Taliban's harsh ways had little effect. -
Post 9/11 Invasion
After the attack on the World Trade Center in New York on Septemebr 11th, 2001, president George W. Bush gave the Taliban an ultimatum to hand over bin Laden. When they refused the U.S. joined forces with rebel groups that had never accepted Taliban rule, notably the Northern Alliance, which represented minority tribes. Air and ground campaign began that drove the Taliban out of the major Afghan cities by the end of the year. -
Karzai Named Chairman
In December 2001, Hamid Karzai, a supporter and relative of Mohammad Zahir Shah, the exiled former king of Afghanistan, was named chairman of an interim government that replaced the defeated Taliban, making him the leader of their country.
He took office 2002, hoping for peace of Afghanistan and win the country international aid. He was elected for a five year term as president. -
United States Central Command
General Petraeus, the Iraq commander, had taken charge of United States Centeral Command in October 2008, with responsibility for military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and across the region. Gates brought in General Stanely A. McChystal after contemtuos quoes from the general and his staff about senior administration officials appeared in an article in Rolling Stone magazine. Obama tapped en. Petraeus to lead the war effort there. -
West Point Speech - Obama
In a speech delivered at West Point Obama announced his plan to deploy 30,000 additional troops. He vowed to start bringing American forces home from Afghanistan in the middle of 2011, saying the United States could not afford and should not afford and should not have to shoulder an open-ended commitment. -
Obama Administration
The Obama administartion changed its toneto increasingly emphasize the idea tht the U.S. will hav eforces in the country until at least the end of 2014. Administration officials are trying to convince Afghans that the U.S. is not walking away and to warn the Taliban that aggressive operations against them would contiue.