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Terrorist Attacks on the US
Al Qaeda members hijack four American airplanes crashing them into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and the other crash-landing in field in Pennsylvania. About 3,000 died in the attacks. Osama binLaden was behind these attacks. -
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Afghanistan War
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US Invasion of Afghanistan
US and British Air Forces fired on Afghanistan after the Taliban wouldn't give up Osama bin Laden, leader of Al Qaeda. -
Tora Bora
Afghan militias tracked down Osama bin Laden to Tora Bora southeast of Kabul, resulting in a two week battle. After a few hundred deaths, bin Laden ends up escaping. Some question why the US did not engage. -
Operation Anaconda
Operation Anaconda, the first major operation since Tora Bora. Consisted of about 800 Al Qaeda and Taliban fighters, 2,000 US troops and 1,000 Afghan troops. Nothing really happened, so the Pentagon planners move the military and intelligence resources away from Aghanistan toward Iraq, where Suddam Hussein is mentioned as a big threat to the "war on terror". -
First President Elected for Afghanistan
Hamid Karzai becomes the first president of Afghanistan. -
Video Message from bin Laden
bin Laden releases a video message three weeks after President Bush is reelected. He takes responsibility for the 9/11 attacks and also says in the video, "We want to restore freedom to our nation, just as you lay waste to our nation". -
Joint Declaration
Hamid Karzai and George Bush issue a "joint declaration", that announces the two countries strategic partners. The agreement states to, "strengthen US-Afghan ties and help ensure Afghanistan's long-term security, democracy and prosperity". -
Obama Sends More Troops
President Barack Obama plans to send 17,000 more troops into Afghanistan. Total of 37,000 troops now in Afghanistan. -
Osama bin Laden's Death
Osama bin Laden is found in Pakistan and is killed by the US military.
