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The '''Afghanistan War''' is the [[NATO]] operation in [[Afghanistan]], 2001 to the present, to destroy the [[Taliban]] and prevent the emergence of a base for [[radical Islam]]ic attacks on American interests. President [[Barack Obama]] has declared it to be the central front in the [[War on Terror|war on terrorism]] and has ordered a buildup of American troops to fight a stubborn insurgency led by the Taliban. NATO is supporting the effort through the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, under U.S. command.  The president since 2002 is [[Hamid Karzai]], known as corrupt and incompetent.  

The '''Afghanistan War''' is the [[NATO]] operation in [[Afghanistan]], 2001 to the present, to destroy the [[Taliban]] and prevent the emergence of a base for [[radical Islam]]ic attacks on American interests. President [[Barack Obama]] has declared it to be the central front in the [[War on Terror|war on terrorism]] and has ordered a buildup of American troops to fight a stubborn insurgency led by the Taliban. NATO is supporting the effort through the International Security Assistance Force, or ISAF, under U.S. command.  The president since 2002 is [[Hamid Karzai]], known as corrupt and incompetent.  

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

''For the Soviet invasi<nowiki>

on 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 [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic 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 civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces.  [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists--the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan--had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built there bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in 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 [[Hamid Karzai]] government, especially its feeble and corrupt national army and police; the question of legitimacy and offenses to traditional tribal and [[Islam]]ic 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 civilians and guerrilla warfare against American and NATO forces.  [[Al-Qaeda]] terrorists--the only [[Arab]]s in Afghanistan--had been welcomed by the Taliban in 1999 and built there bases there. They have been largely destroyed or fled to Pakistan, according to the U.S. Army, having fewer than 100 people left in Afghanistan.