Who was responsible for the attacks?

1. Al Qaeda - a terrorist organization led by Osama bin Laden took responsibility for the attacks (3 years after September 11th)

2. Quickly revealed that the government of Afghanistan, known as the Taliban were providing safe-harbor for al Qaeda.

Prompted Bush to deliver an ultimatum to the Taliban and institute a bold new foreign policy plan that became known as the Bush Doctrine.

The U.S. policy would come to be known as the Bush Doctrine and can be summarized as follows:

1. The right to secure itself from countries that harbor or give aid to terrorist groups;

2. Preventive war, an attack against a possible enemy to prevent an attack by that enemy at a later time

3. Spreading democracy around the world as a strategy for combating terrorism

4. A willingness to use the U.S. military unilaterally to achieve these goals.

So who are the Taliban?

?

“The United States will use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf.”

- Carter Doctrine (1980)

Persian Gulf

Iraq

Saudi Arabi

Origins of the Taliban

1978

Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in Afghanistan

Civil war breaks out btwn Soviet-led Afgahn forces against multi-national insurgent groups.

Help from the U.S.“The enemy of my enemy is my friend”

Operation Cyclone

Stinger Missile

After (post) Soviet-Afghan War

New groupNew group New group

Taliban

Who is Bin Laden and al Qaeda?

?

Origins of the al Qaeda

1978

Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in Afghanistan

Civil war breaks out btwn Soviet-led Afgahn forces against multi-national insurgent groups.

WEAPONS

$$$$

During Soviet-Afghan War

After (post) Soviet-Afghan War

New groupNew group New group

Al Qaeda

Saddam Hussein

“The United States will use military force if necessary to defend its national interests in the Persian Gulf.”

- Carter Doctrine (1980)

1990 - Iraq invaded Kuwait

Fearing that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein might next attack Saudi Arabia, Bush rushed troops to the Persian Gulf.

The U.S. quickly drove Iraqi army from Kuwait

The U.S. stayed in Saudi Arabia

Outraged bin Laden who deemed an affront

to their faith and as part of a Western plan

to destroy Islam.

Bin Ladan Returns to Afghanistan