History of al-Qaeda and Terrorism against the USA

What is al-Qaeda?

• Al Qaeda means “the Base.” It is a stateless (meaning without a country) terrorist organization.

• It was led and financed by Osama bin Laden, a radical Sunni Muslim.

• It is now led by Ayman al-Zawahiri

When did al-Qaeda form?

• The beginnings of al-Qaeda go back to the 1980’s when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan.

USSR vs. Afghanistan 1979 - 1989

Soviets in Afghanistan 1988

Bin Laden, and the Arab Afghans, fought the Soviet Union in Afghanistan

• The Soviet army left in 1988.

• We helped the mujahideen fight the Soviets

Thanks USA

Soviets leaving Afghanistan 1989

Desert Storm (Gulf War I)

• In 1990, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein invaded the tiny, oil-rich country of Kuwait

Operation Desert Storm

• The United States feared Saddam would invade Saudi Arabia too.

Iraqi tanks

US and Saudi coalition

• The United States asked the Saudis for permission to establish military bases in their country.

Saudi’s choice

• Osama bin Laden, back home from Afghanistan, offered the Saudis the use of his soldiers to fight the Iraqi army because infidel armies have no place in the holy land of Islam.

Saudis chose the USA and snubbed bin Laden

1991--Bin Laden leaves Saudi Arabia for Sudan

Why did bin Laden turn his attention to attacking the US?

• In November 2002, bin Laden wrote his "Letter to America” outlining motives:

• 1. Western support for attacking Muslims in Somalia

• 2. Supporting Russian atrocities against Muslims in Chechnya

• 3. Supporting the Indian oppression against Muslims in Kashmir

• 4. Supporting the Jewish aggression against Muslims in Lebanon

• 5. The presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia due to Iraq invading Kuwait

• 6. U.S. support of Israel

• 7. Economic Sanctions against Iraq

According to Bin Laden, he has never said that the attacks were, are, or will be because of American freedoms, the rights of our citizens, or even because of our religious differences.

He has said that the reasons for the attacks of the past as well as those of the future will be because of the way the US and its allies treat the Muslim World.

Why did these people want to attack America?

USA in Somalia• Dec. 4, 1992, George H.W. Bush sends 28,000

American troops to Somalia.

• Bush wanted to help the Somali people since all attempts to send food to them were intercepted by war lords.

Black Hawk Down!

• In 1993, 18 Americans died when their Black Hawk helicopter was shot down over Mogadishu, Somalia.

al Qaeda?

• The US thinks al Qaeda operatives taught the Somalians how to shoot down helicopters just like they did in Afghanistan against the Soviets.

1993-The 1st World Trade Center bombing

1993 WTC bombing

It killed 6 people and injured over 1000.

May 1996 ---Sudan expels bin Laden and he returns to Afghanistan

AfghanistanWhat is this land like?

Basics • Population = 32 million• Size = Texas • Language = Afghan Persian

– 70 different languages

• Ethnicity = Mixed• Pastun 50%

• Associate with Tribes• Literacy Rate = 36%• Land = Mountain and Desert

• Landlocked

Americans in Helmand Province 2007

Afghan History• Diverse Nation

• Conquered in past by:

–Persians, Romans, Ottomans, British

• Won Independence from Great Britain in 1919

• 1978 Civil War

Afghan History

• 1979 Soviet Invasion Beat USSR in 89’ w/ USA aid

• 1989 – 1996 – Civil War Taliban wins• Taliban “seekers of knowledge” govt. in power

– Harsh & repressive government– Radical Muslims– Drug Trade (Heroin) Famine

• Extreme Poverty

Afghanistan Was Run by the Taliban, A Violent Local, Afghanistani Group Led By

Mullah Omar

Opium – poppy plants

Heroin

The Taliban Did Not Plan the 9/11 Attacks, But They Let Bin Laden

Operate in Afghanistan and Refused to Turn Him Over to the US

Fatwa

• In August of 1998, Al Qaeda, led by bin Laden and Ayman Zawahiri declared war on the US.

Embassy Bombings: 1998• Two American embassies in

Kenya and Tanzania were bombed simultaneously. 220 people were killed.

Clinton Responds.

• President Clinton decided to attack al Qaeda in response.

US sends missiles against Qaeda training camps in Sudan and Afghanistan----to little effect.

2000—Millennium Attacks Foiled!

• Jordanian police halted 4 bombings

• Four al Qaeda terrorists arrested crossing the Canadian border with nitroglycerin in their trunk. They set out to bomb LA International Airport.

• In Yemen, a boat with explosives tried to bomb a navy ship but sank due to being overloaded

USS Cole Attack Oct. 2000• In Yemen, al Qaeda

sent a suicide bomber aboard a small ship near the USS Cole and detonated its bomb, blowing a large hole in the US Navy ship.

• 17 sailors killed.

9-11-2001

• 2819 people were killed

• 343 firefighters and paramedics were killed

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the central planner of 9/11. Most terrorists (at right) were from Saudi Arabia.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed

Bush Doctrine

• Us had the right to secure itself against countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups

• United States should depose foreign governments that represented a potential threat to the security of the United States

• Encourage democracy around the world, especially in the Middle East as a strategy for combating terrorism

Operation Enduring Freedom

• Invaded Afghanistan (Oct. 7, 2001)

• Mission:

–1) Capture Osama bin Laden

–2) Destroy Al-Qaeda network

–3) Remove Taliban Regime

NATO• North Atlantic Treaty Organization

• International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

• “Committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective (joint) security.”

• 49 countries have sent troops over the years

What are the problems?• Friend or Foe?• Suicide Bombers• IED- Improvised Explosive

Devices• Drug Trade Flourishes

(92% of World’s Heroin)• Famine

• Never known democracy• Extreme Islamic Groups

– Taliban

– al-Qaeda

• Mountains and Terrain• Border crossing• Untrained Afghani

Troops• Legitimate Government?

• Civilian Casualties+3,000 Deaths

Successful or Unsuccessful?• New Democratic Government in Afghanistan

– Unstable however• Taliban no longer in control

– Yet have re-emerged in SE Afghanistan & now parts of Pakistan

• Girls now attend school again since our invasion• Declared a Failed(Fragile) State by U.N.• 14 year war(2001-Present)

– Obama pulled all but 9800 US troops out by the end of 2014

– All US troops will be pulled out by the end of 2016

Seal Team Six

• Killed Osama bin Laden on May 2, 2011

Are Iraq/Afghanistan wars Are Iraq/Afghanistan wars another Vietnam?another Vietnam?

• Long dragged out conflicts with no end in sight.

• Can’t tell whose an friend or foe.

• Not popular at home.

• Not popular with other governments or their people.

• Not winning the hearts and minds of the people.

• Fighting less technological people with nothing to lose

18,000-20,000 Afghan Civilians Killed 2001-Present

2,201 U.S. Military Deaths and 19,964 US W.I.A.