Changes

''For the Soviet invasion and war, 1979-89, see [[Soviet-Afghan War]]. For politics and society, see [[Afghanistan]].

''For the Soviet invasion and war, 1979-89, see [[Soviet-Afghan War]]. For politics and society, see [[Afghanistan]].

"Operation Enduring Freedom" easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly.  But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring Pakistan in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by opium production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamad Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and Islamic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on ciivlians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces.

"Operation Enduring Freedom" easily defeated the Taliban in late 2001 and it seemed the war was over quickly.  But the Taliban regrouped, especially in the southern provinces, with sanctuaries inside neighboring Pakistan in remote areas where the government of Pakistan had little authority. By 2003 the insurgency in the south was in operation, funded by opium production. Important factors for the return of insurgency include the initial mistakes made in 2001; radical Islamic support from Pakistan; weaknesses of the [[Hamad Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and Islamic values and beliefs; and, finally, the extent to which NATO forces became part of the problem by angering the tribes. The insurgency controlled numerous areas and engaged in terror attacks on ciivlians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces.  Al-Qaeda terrorists, who had been welcomed by the Taliban in 2000 and built there bases there have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.

[[File:Mcchrystal.jpg|thumb|250px|General McChrystal]]

[[File:Mcchrystal.jpg|thumb|250px|General McChrystal]]