12. War On Terror 1991-2003 Flashcards
Consequences of the Soviet War in Afghanistan (4)
- Soviets withdrawal from Afghanistan in 88-89 left Afghanistan in chaos
- Warlords who took over were brutally cruel and the country quickly collapsed into civil war
- Mujahideen changed from a collection of Guerilla groups into a powerful international terrorist movement called the Islamic Unity of Afghanistan Mujahideen
- They were supported by groups such as Taliban and Al-Qaeda
Rise of the taliban (3)
- former Mujahideen commander Mohammad Omar started a movement to fight the warlords
- the movement was called the Taliban because many of its followers were students educated in Islamic schools
- In 1996 the taliban took control and set up an Islamic Emirate which imposed a strict form of Sharia law on Afghanistan
Describe the Taliban’s fundamentalist interpretation of Islam (6)
- Music, TV, toys and most games were forbidden
- all windows had to be painted black
- Women had to wear burqa
- couldn’t travel in public without a man’s permission
- forbidden an education
- Punishments included execution, stoning, flogging and cutting off the hands or feet of thieves
Origins of Al-Qaeda (6)
- Another jihadist group that grew out of the end of the Cold War in Afghanistan
- Originally called the MAK
- set up charities, supposedly to help refugees in many countries however these donations actually went towards recruiting, training and arming fighters for the Mujahideen
- One of the founders of MAK was Osama bin Laden, a devout Sunni Muslim
- He became convinced that the Muslim world was being attacked by non-believers and was credited with helping to remove the Soviets from Afghanistan in 88-89
- After 1989 MAK grew into Al-Qaeda
Consequences of the Gulf War 1991 (4)
- President Saddam Hussein of Iraq, was a tyrant who used violence and abuse to rule his country, particularly against the Kurdish People’s
- At first He was an ally of the West, who saw him as a friend against the fundamentalist Muslim government Iran
- This Support came to an end in 1990 when Saddam invaded Kuwait, a small oil rich state south of Iraq
- There was outrage among the western powers and Bush senior organised a coalition of forces to drive out the Iraqis from Kuwait
Reasons for September 11 attacks (4)
- Osama bin Laden’s hatred of America:
He condemned US support for Israel, US interventions in Somalia in 1993-95 and Iraq (atrocities against Muslims) and he hated that the USA was an ally of Saudi Arabia - Growing Al-Qaeda activity:
1993 A-Q detonated a truck bomb under the North Tower of the World Trade Center in NY
1996 they attempted to assassinate Bill Clinton during a visit to the Philippines
In 1998 A-Q suicide bombers drove truck bombs into the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya - To start a fight :
The attack was designed to provoke the USA into attacking the Muslim world, radicalising Muslims into joining jihadist movement - New age of conflict:
Al-Qaeda grew rapidly among the growth of Muslim fundamentalism and jihadism, particularly in the Middle East where the weakness of many countries had created a region of chaos
After 1989, foreign Mujahideen fighters who had been fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan left to spread jihadism to other countries
Why were the Twin Towers chosen and what were the consequences of the attacks ? (3)
- They were a sign of the economic power of the US and symbolised western capitalism, wealth and love of possessions
- two planes were crashed into the twin towers (killing some 2750 people) and a third plane nose-dived into the Pentagon, causing 125 deaths
- A fourth plane was headed for Washington, possibly the White House, but the passengers realised what was happened and attacked the terrorists. The plane crashed in southern Pennsylvania, causing deaths of 40 crew and passengers
George W. Bush Jnr response to the 9/11 attack ‘War on Terror’ (5)
- Find and kill terrorists such as bin Laden and destroy their organisations
- Undertake ‘regime change’ - removing governments which supported terrorism and abolishing terrorist safe places
- Strengthen weaker states such as Afghanistan to resist terrorism by building them into strong democracies
- Improve security for US citizens and places at home and abroad
- On 14th September, Congress passed the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) which gave the President the power to do these things
When did congress pass the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists (AUMF) which let the president let him do such things ?
14th September 2001
What came as a result of Congress passing the AUMF ? (3)
- Afghanistan was attacked in October and the Taliban regime was removed by December 2001
- 2003, a coalition of forces invaded Iraq
- Almost 800 prisoners suspected of terrorist connections were imprisoned without trail at Guantanamo Bay
Actions within the US following congress passing AUMF after the 9/11 attacks (3)
- The Department of Homeland Security was created to specifically fight against terrorism
- The new Patriot Act (2001) gave the government the right to monitor phone calls and internet messages
- Many US states introduced anti-terrorism laws, giving greater powers to the police to seek and detain suspects
Who invaded Afghanistan ?
- USA provided most of the forces and weapons
- But The Invasion was undertaken by a NATO International Security Assistance Force
Reason for the invasion of Afghanistan 2001 (3)
- Afghanistan was a centre of Al-Qaeda terrorism
- In 1996 Osama bin Laden moved his Al-Qaeda organisation from Sudan to Afghanistan where it set up more than 120 training camps
- As many as 20,000 jihadists were trained in these camps
Describe Operation Enduring Freedom (6)
Date: 7th October 2001
Cause: As one of their first acts in their ‘War on terror’ the US demanding that the Taliban government hand over bin Laden and dismantle A-Q.
Result: They delayed. As a result waves of bomber and missile attacks were launched on the Taliban army and the Al-Qaeda camps
October 26 - Britain deploys 4,200 military personnel
November 1st - Turkey, Australia and Canada agree to send forces
November 16th - France sends troops
What did the ISAF do in December 2001
The ISAF, a military coalition of 18 countries, drove the Taliban out of government and chose Hamid Karzai to set up a New Democratic government
