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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.  

:''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]].

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.  

"[[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.

==Debate 2009==

==Debate 2009==

The [[Obama Administration]] has made the war a high priority; indeed Obama sharply criticized the war in Iraq because for so long, he said, it diverted resources and attention from Afghanistan. In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the protection of the Afghan people and to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref> Thom Shanker, [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref>  Some  4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.   

The [[Obama Administration]] has made the war a high priority; indeed Obama sharply criticized the war in Iraq because for so long, he said, it diverted resources and attention from Afghanistan. In September 2009, the Pentagon pushed back against liberal Democrats who oppose sending additional combat troops to Afghanistan, telling Congress that success would probably require more fighting forces, and certainly much more time. Washington is debating the new report by Gen. McChrystal, the senior American and NATO commander in Afghanistan, who believes a properly resourced counterinsurgency war means more forces, more time and more commitment to the protection of the Afghan people and to the development of a strong Afghan government capable of defending its own country.<ref> Thom Shanker, [http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/16/world/asia/16mullen.html?_r=1&th&emc=th "Military Chief Suggests Need to Enlarge U.S. Afghan Force," ''New York Times'' Sept. 16, 2009]</ref>  Some  4,000 more American trainers will arrive by November, bringing the American troop level to 68,000.

   

===International role===

===International role===

[[File:Afg-canada.jpg|thumb|280px|Canadian forces in Afghanistan]]

[[File:Afg-canada.jpg|thumb|280px|Canadian forces in Afghanistan]]

More than 108,000 NATO troops are serving in Afghanistan in September 2009: 64,500 from the United States, 9,000 from Britain and 34,500 from other nations. In all, 1,386 troops have been killed.  NATO deaths include 830 Americans, 214 British, and 130 Canadians; 22 other countries that have sent forces to Afghanistan have suffered deaths among their troops.

More than 108,000 NATO troops are serving in Afghanistan in September 2009: 64,500 from the United States, 9,000 from Britain and 34,500 from other nations. In all, 1,386 troops have been killed.  NATO deaths include 830 Americans, 214 British, and 130 Canadians; 22 other countries that have sent forces to Afghanistan have suffered deaths among their troops.

[[File:Afghan3.jpg|thumb|420px|Location of US and NATO combat brigades]]

[[File:Afghan3.jpg|thumb|420px|Location of US and NATO combat brigades]]

===US politics===

===U.S. politics===

Democrats in Congress, led by Michigan Senator [[Carl Levin]] demand accelerated efforts to train and equip Afghan security forces before there is any more deployment of American troops. Levin demanded new goals to be established for Afghan security forces in terms far exceeding the capabilities of the Afghans. The army, he said, should grow to 250,000 troops by the end of 2012, and the police to 160,000 officers by that date. The current over-optimistic targets are 134,000 army troops and 96,000 police officers by the end of next year.  The luke-warm Congressional Democrats are countered by Republicans, led by Senator [[John McCain]], who strongly supports the Obama position. McCain insists that more troops are "vitally needed" and that any delay in ordering more combat forces to the fight would put American lives at risk.

Democrats in Congress, led by Michigan Senator [[Carl Levin]] demand accelerated efforts to train and equip Afghan security forces before there is any more deployment of American troops. Levin demanded new goals to be established for Afghan security forces in terms far exceeding the capabilities of the Afghans. The army, he said, should grow to 250,000 troops by the end of 2012, and the police to 160,000 officers by that date. The current over-optimistic targets are 134,000 army troops and 96,000 police officers by the end of next year.  The luke-warm Congressional Democrats are countered by Republicans, led by Senator [[John McCain]], who strongly supports the Obama position. McCain insists that more troops are "vitally needed" and that any delay in ordering more combat forces to the fight would put American lives at risk.

* [http://www.seanmmaloney.com/books/books5.html articles on Canadian forces]

* [http://www.seanmmaloney.com/books/books5.html articles on Canadian forces]

* [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/afghanistan/index.html  news articles from ''New York Times'']

* [http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/afghanistan/index.html  news articles from ''New York Times'']

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