Current Events > Question on recent history. The War on Terror, and Afghanistan.

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How long did the "proper" fighting go on for, which began in October 2001, I think? I know the peacekeeping, and some other fighting, went on for years, but how long did the main combat last for? I thought it was for several years, but I just watched a documentary on the Afghanistan war, and although the timeline was a bit vague, it seems like it finished quite quickly.

Of course, a war may be over in a few weeks, but the peacekeeping can last for a decade (see: Iraq). Plus, a politician can just say a war if "officially" over, and even if this is abitrary, unrealistic or self-serving, people do sort believe it.

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Bump.
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You know, in the Middle-East?
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Does anyone remember?
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Bump.
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pretty sure there is still fighting going on today there
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I think we actually overthrew the Taliban government within several months. It was an unconventional force of Special Forces working alongside Northern Alliance Afghan soldiers, along with some CIA assets and air support. So it wasn't really a large conventional force even.

Extending control of the "new" Afghan government to the entire country has proven itself extremely difficult. I put new in quotes because it's been over 14 years since they got their new constitution apparently.
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Alright.

Obviously things didn't work out that well in Afghanistan, of course, any better than Iraq perhaps. The Western powers really know how to "improve" other countries, I guess.

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Sunhawk posted...

Alright.

Obviously things didn't work out that well in Afghanistan, of course, any better than Iraq perhaps. The Western powers really know how to "improve" other countries, I guess.

Its called bringing freedom and democracy

We are liberating them
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Sunhawk posted...

Obviously things didn't work out that well in Afghanistan, of course, any better than Iraq perhaps. The Western powers really know how to "improve" other countries, I guess.

Don't we get any credit for Germany, Japan, and South Korea? Also Iraq today is in a much better position than Afghanistan. Iraq has control over virtually all its territory, Afghanistan does not.
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we have to stay in the middle east or it will break out in terrorism

the second we leave ISIS like groups will takeover
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Uh. But didn't Iraq have control over ALL its territory, before the invasion?

I've realised that you two are quite serious with what you say. Disturbing.

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Sunhawk posted...

Uh. But didn't Iraq have control over ALL its territory, before the invasion?

I've realised that you two are quite serious with what you say. Disturbing.

Before the invasion in 2003 Saddam controlled the whole country with the exception of Iraqi Kurdistan, which was autonomous since the end of the Gulf War around 1991 I believe. I was really referring to the period of ISIS from about 2014-2017 when I was referring to a period where Iraq didn't have control over all its territory.

Iraq today is in a much better position than it was when ISIS was still controlling large swaths of territory. People keep wanting to re-litigate the 2003 invasion, but it's not like we can go back and undo that. I think it's pretty obvious that helping the Iraqi government defeat ISIS was a good move, and also that keeping a small number of people there to continue to train/assist the Iraqi government and military is a smart move. It's not some huge expenditure anymore, the mission is small in scope in the grand scheme of things.
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